Catholic order identifies friars accused of sexual abuses, including 3 who spent time in Lawrence

DENVER (ap) — A Catholic order in Colorado has released the names of 13 friars accused of sexual abuse.

The Denver Post reports that the Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of St. Conrad in Denver provided information obtained through a 2018 audit ordered by its head minister that uncovered abuses of minors or vulnerable adults.

The order says two of the 13 friars are dead and five have left the order, but none are currently in active ministry.

The province says it is unaware of the number of victims or incidents, but 10 of the accused spent time in Colorado and all the cases have been submitted to the Denver District Attorney or district attorneys where abuses occurred.

The newspaper reports the Capuchin order is in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Texas.

Three of the accused friars spent time on assignment in Lawrence, according to information provided by the Capuchin order.

David Gottschalk: Born 1943, removed from the ministry (undated) and currently under supervision, according to the Capuchin order. Estimated timeframe of abuse was the 1970s. Pastoral assignments included St. John Friary in Lawrence. More than one credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.

Benignus Scarry: Born 1944, left the order in 2016. Estimated timeframe of abuse was the 1980s. Pastoral assignments included St. Conrad Friary in Lawrence. One credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.

Gregory Beyer: Born 1935, died 2010. Estimated timeframe of abuse was the 1970s. Pastoral assignments included St. Conrad Friary in Lawrence. One credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.

According to religious directory listings in the Lawrence Journal-World’s archives, Gottschalk served at the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas as of 1987. Another article in 1988 identified Gottschalk as the “campus minister” at St. Lawrence. Gottschalk had been in Lawrence earlier in the 1980s, according to a review of the Journal-World’s archives, though it wasn’t clear if he was assigned there permanently at the time. A 1982 wedding announcement mentioned that Gottschalk officiated a wedding at St. John’s Catholic Church. The Kansas City, Kan., Catholic archdiocese had previously listed Gottschalk as having more than one allegation of abuse within the diocese but had not listed his assignment at the campus center in Lawrence.

Scarry was featured in a 1990 Journal-World article about the St. Conrad’s Friary, located at 745 Tennessee St. The article said St. Conrad’s Friary had been established in Lawrence the previous summer. Scarry was identified as a Catholic layman in the order rather than a priest. A 1997 Journal-World article documented Scarry’s extensive involvement with the Lawrence Habitat for Humanity organization. A 1998 Journal-World article about Habitat for Humanity said that Scarry had taken a sabbatical in St. Louis.

Beyer was featured alongside Scarry in the 1990 Journal-World article about St. Conrad’s Friary. He was identified as a priest who was living at the friary and working as vocation leader for the Mid-America Capuchin Province. His 2010 obituary in the Journal-World mentioned that he served as the local superior of the St. Conrad Friary in Lawrence from 1990-1991.

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