Victim Assistance
The first obligation of the Church with regard to victims is for healing and reconciliation. Dioceses and eparchies continue to reach out to every person who has been a victim of sexual abuse as a minor by anyone in church service, whether that abuse is recent or occurred in the past.
If you suffered abuse, it was not your fault. If you are a victim of sexual abuse by a priest, deacon, or individual representing the Catholic Church, there are several things you can do:
- Contact the appropriate law enforcement agency, which can help determine options for making a criminal complaint.
- Contact a local child protection agency, a private attorney, a support group, an abuse hotline, or a mental health professional.
- Contact a diocesan or eparchial victim assistance coordinator who is available to help victims/survivors make a formal complaint of abuse to the diocese or eparchy. The Victim Assistance Coordinator is also available to arrange a personal meeting with the bishop or his representative and to obtain support for the needs of the individual and families.
- If you believe someone is in imminent danger or this is a situation of current abuse involving a minor please call 911.
- To report an allegation of abuse or mishandling of allegations of sexual abuse by a bishop please visit the Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting Service website.
Victim Assistance Coordinators
Dioceses and Archdioceses | Coordinator | Phone | |
Albany | Noelle Marie | 518-453-6646 | |
Alexandria | Dr. Lee Kneipp | 318-542-9805 | |
Allentown | Wendy Krisak | 800-791-9209 | |
Altoona-Johnstown | Jean Johnstone | 814-944-9388 | |
Amarillo | Sharyn Delgado | 806-671-4830 | |
Anchorage-Juneau | Jenny Michaelson | 907-297-7786 | |
Arlington | Frank Moncher | 703-841-2530 | |
Atlanta | Sue Stubbs | 404-920-7554 | |
Austin | Kathy McCormick | 512-949-2400 | |
Baker | Dr. Angelina Montoya | 541-678-5652 | |
Baltimore | Sarah Gregorini | 866-417-7469 | |
Baton Rouge | Amy Cordon | 225-242-0202 | |
Beaumont | Becky Richard | 409-540-8479 | |
Belleville | Janet Hormberg | 618-212-1201 | |
Biloxi | Emily Cloud | 228-424-7292 | |
Birmingham | Albert Manzella | 205-969-8947 | |
Bismarck | Dcn. Brent Naslund | 701-425-0794 | |
Boise | Mark Raper | 208-350-7560 | |
Boston | Vivian Soper Kristen Gotter | 617-746-5995 617-746-5993 | |
Bridgeport | Erin Neil, L.C.S.W. | 203-650-3265 | |
Brooklyn | Elizabeth Harris | 718-623-5236 | |
Brownsville | Margie Garcia | 956-784-5066 x466 | |
Buffalo | Jacqueline Joy | 716-895-3010 | |
Burlington |
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Camden | Sylvia Loumeau LCSW | 800-964-6588 | |
Charleston | Kristin Eyre | 800-921-8122 | |
Charlotte | Victim Assistance Coordinator | 704-370-3363 | |
Cheyenne | Teresa Klatka | 307-705-3869 | |
Chicago | Mayra Flores | 312-534-3380 | |
Cincinnati | Teresa Maley | 513-263-6623 | tmaley@catholicaoc.org |
Cleveland | Kathleen McComb | 216-334-2999 | |
Colorado Springs | Angelle Schott Edwin Ruiz-Huerta | 719-866-6499 | |
Corpus Christi | Stephanie Bonilla | 361-693-6686 | |
Columbus | Laura Lewis | 614-241-2568 | |
Covington | Marylu Steffen | 859-392-1565 | |
Crookston | Cindy Hulst, LCSW | 218-281-7895 | |
Dallas | Brenda Martinez | 214-379-2812 | |
Davenport | Alicia Owens, LBSW | 563-349-5002 | |
Denver | Jim Langley, Psy. D. | 720-239-2832 | |
Des Moines | Samuel Porter | 515-286-2015 or | |
Detroit | Tony Latarski | 313-237-6060 866-343-8055 |
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Dodge City | Tracy Simpson-Turner | 620-227-1527 | |
Dubuque | Dr. Thomas Ottavi | 563-584-3000 | |
Duluth | Andrew Busam | 218-830-8689 | |
El Paso | Susan Martinez, LCSW | 915-872-8465 | |
Erie | Dr. Gerard Tobin | 814-451-1521 | |
Evansville | Sylvia Groves | 866-200-3004 | |
Fairbanks | Jocelyn Niedziela | 907-374-9553 | |
Fall River | Carolyn Shipp, LICSW | 508-985-6508 | |
Fargo | Dianne Nechiporenko | 701-356-7965 | |
Fort Wayne-South Bend | Jodi Marlin | 260-399-1447 | |
Fort Worth | Catholic Charities Fort-Worth | 817-945-9345 (24 hour hot-line) | |
Fresno | Cheryl Sarkisian | 559-488-7409 | |
Gallup | Elizabeth Terrill | 505-906-7357 | |
Galveston-Houston | Diane Vines | 713-654-5799 | |
Gary | Cheryl Sopo | 219-588-9089 | |
Gaylord | Larry LaCross | 989-732-6761 | |
Grand Island | Elizabeth Heidt Kozisek | 308-382-6565 | |
Grand Rapids | Allison Bush | 231-740-8345 | |
Great Falls-Billings | Teresa Schmit | 406-750-2373 | |
Green Bay | Courtney Coopman | 920-272-8174 | |
Greensburg | Dr. Paul Niemiec, LPN | 724-837-1840 x1655 | |
Harrisburg | Michelle Shae | 717-657-4804 x234 | |
Hartford | Faith Vos Winkel, MSW | 860-541-6475 | |
Helena | Helen Beausoleil | 406-459-0513 | |
Honolulu | Chiyo Churchill, LMFT | 808-527-4604 | |
Houma-Thibodaux | Sr. Carmelita Centanni, MSC, Ph.D. | 985-850-3172 | |
Indianapolis | O'Connell Case | 317-236-1548 | |
Jackson | Erika Rojas | 601-326-3760 | |
Jefferson City | Jaqueline Baldwin | 573-635-9127 x226 | |
Joliet | Lori Chassee | 815-263-6467 | |
Kalamazoo | Dcn. Patrick Hall | 269-903-1075 | |
Kansas City, KS | Kathleen Chastain | 913-951-1811 | |
Kansas City-St. Joseph in MO | Whitney True-Francis Joseph Crayon | 816-392-0011 | |
Knoxville | Victim Assistance Coordinator | 865-321-9080 |
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La Crosse | Deacon Thomas Skemp | 608-792-9684 | |
Lafayette in Louisiana | Joseph Pisano | 337-298-2987 |
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Lafayette in Indiana | Jackie Montrie | 765-464-4988 | |
Lake Charles | Rickard Newman | 337-439-7246 | |
Lansing | Lisa Veenstra | 888-308-6252 | |
Laredo | Romeo Rodriguez Jr. | 956-727-2140 | |
Las Cruces | Deacon Jim Winder | 575-523-7577 | |
Las Vegas | Cindy Hensel | 702-235-7723 | |
Lexington | Laura Napora | 859-338-5695 | |
Lincoln | Jeff Hohlen | 402-314-2899 | |
Little Rock | Laura Gottsponer, LCSW | 501-664-0340 ext. 425 | |
Los Angeles | Dr. Heather Banis | 213-637-7650 | |
Louisville | Martine Siegel | 502-636-1044 | |
Lubbock | Oscar Reyes | 806-543-9178 | |
Madison | Victim Assistance Coordinator | 608-821-3162 | |
Manchester | Marc Guillemette | 603-663-0125 | |
Marquette | Steve Lynott | 844-495-4330 |
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Memphis | Sandra Goldstein | 901-373-1257 | |
Metuchen | Paule Galette, LCSW | 732-324-8200 | |
Miami | Peter Routsis-Arroyo | 866-802-2873 | |
Military Services | Katherine Eisenbeil, LMFT, LIMHP | 202-681-5069 | |
Milwaukee | Sofia Thorn | 414-758-2232 | |
Mobile | Ginger Koppersmith | 251-434-1559 | |
Monterey | Ms. Sagrario Castillo | 800-321-5220 | |
Nashville | Vickie Lawson | 615-939-0026 | |
New Orleans | Joey Pistorius | 504-861-6253 | |
New Ulm | Sr. Candace Fier, ISSM | 507-233-5313 | |
New York | Eileen Mulchay | 646-794-2949 | |
Newark | Wendy Pierson Gina Criscuolo | 201-407-3256 | |
Norwich | Shauna Goodwin | 860-346-0060 | |
Oakland | Sr. Dorothy Peterson, FCJ | 510-267-8344 | |
Ogdensburg | Terrianne Yanulavich | 518-651-2267 | |
Oklahoma City | Jennifer Goodrich | 405-720-9878 | |
Omaha | Mary Beth Hanus, LCSW | 402-827-3798 | |
Orange | Sylvia Palda, LMFT | 949-244-5781 | |
Orlando | Randy Means | 407-913-1436 | |
Owensboro | Scott Ingram | 270-852-8380 | |
Palm Beach | Lisa Linnell | 561-775-9558 | |
Paterson | Dr. Kenneth McNiel | 973-879-1489 | |
Peoria | Dr. Sharon Weiss | 309-671-1550 309-677-7082 (hotline) | |
Pensacola-Tallahassee | Msgr. Michael Reed | 850-516-8890 | |
Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter | Rebecca Hill | 281-507-4142 | |
Philadelphia | Leslie J. Davila | 1-888-800-8780 | |
Phoenix | Anne Vargas-Leveriza, MS, LASAC | 602-354-2396 | |
Pittsburgh | Emily Belsito | 888-808-1235 | |
Portland, Maine | Victim Assistant Coordinator | 207-773-6471 |
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Portland in Oregon | Cathy Shannon | 503-233-8302 | |
Providence | Dr. Michael Hansen | 401-946-0725 | |
Pueblo | Nancy Martinez | 719-544-9861 ext 110 | |
Raleigh | Ruth DeVito | 984-238-2351 | |
Rapid City | Barbara Scherr | 605-209-3418 | |
Reno | Patty Noyes, LMFT | 844-669-8911 | |
Richmond | Kelly Shumate | 804-622-5236 | |
Rochester | Deborah Housel | 585-328-3228 | |
Rockford | Richard Parsons, LCPC | 779-210-8698 | |
Rockville Centre | Mary F. McMahon | 516-678-5800 x 573 | |
Sacramento | Amanda Horrocks | 916-733-0142 | |
Saginaw | Nancy Felch, LMSW | 989-797-6682 | |
Salina |
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Salt Lake City | Crystal Painter | 801-328-8641 x344 | |
San Angelo | Lori Hines | 325-374-7609 | |
San Antonio | Steve Martinez | 210-734-7786 | |
San Bernardino | Sr. Rosaline O'Connor | 909-855-2296 | |
San Diego | Mary Acosta | 858-490-8353 | |
San Francisco | Rocio Rodriguez | 415-614-5506 | |
San Jose | Griselda Cervantez, MSW | 408-983-0225 | |
Santa Fe | Annette Klimka | 505-831-8144 | |
Santa Rosa | Fatima Jimenez | 707-566-3308 | |
Savannah | Dr. Brett Murphy-Dawson | 706-464-5490 | |
Scranton | Mary Beth Pacuska | 570-862-7551 | |
Seattle | Cathy Wiswell | 800-446-7762 | |
Shreveport | Mary Arcement LPC | 318-584-2411 | |
Sioux City | Angie Mack | 712-279-5610 | |
Spokane | Victoria Loveland | 509-353-0442 | |
Sioux Falls | Victim Assistant Coordinator | 1-800-700-7867 | |
Springfield-Cape Girardeau | Denise Essner, LCSW Diana Harold, LCSW | 573-334-2889
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Springfield in Illinois | Colleen Richardson | 217-698-8500 ext.162 | |
Springfield in Massachusetts | Michael Collins | 413-452-0624 | |
St. Augustine | Mary Kay Nedrich
| Abuse Hotline 904-208-6979 800-775-4659 ext. 297 |
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St. Cloud | Roxann Storms | 320-248-1563 | |
St. Louis | Ann Wier | 314-850-8318 | |
St. Paul and Minneapolis | Paul Iovino | 651-291-4514 | |
St. Petersburg | John Lambert, LCSW | 866-407-4505 | |
St. Thomas, VI | Dr. Gloria Callwood (St. Thomas/St. John)
Dr. Gloria Mendes (St. Croix)
| 340-693-1291
340-773-3322 |
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Steubenville | Rev. James M. Dunfee | 740-282-3631 | |
Stockton | Brande Vargas, LCSW | 209-684-0330 855-566-7262 | |
Superior | Victim Assistance Coordinator | 715-718-1110 | |
Syracuse | Jacqueline Bressette | 315-470-1465 | |
Toledo | Kathy Didion | 419-244-6711 | |
Trenton | Maureen Fitzsimmons | 609-403-7129 | |
Tucson | Richard Serrano | 520-838-2513 | |
Tulsa | Donna Eurich | 918-307-4970 | |
Tyler | Ariseli Lara | 903-534-1077 x150 | |
Venice | Susan Benton | 941-416-6114 | |
Victoria | Shannon Thomas LMSW Sloane Dolezal | 361-573-0828 x2250 361-827-7186 | |
Washington, D.C. | Alicia Tierney | 301-853-5302 | |
Wheeling-Charleston | Dr. Patricia M. Bailey, Ph.D. | 304-242-6988 | |
Wichita | Stephanie Nemechek, LCP | 316-269-3900 ext. 134 | |
Wilmington | Brian N. Moore | 302-295-0668 | |
Winona - Rochester | Sarah Vetter | 507-454-2270 | |
Worcester | Judith Audette | 508-929-4363 | |
Yakima | Leanne LaBissoniere | 509-367-5291 | |
Youngstown | Dominic Colucy | 330-744-8451 | |
Eparchies and Archeparchies | Coordinator | Phone | |
Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix (Arizona) | Dr. Caroline Bonham | 505-314-3943 | |
Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, Maronite Catholic Diocese (California) | Laura Kahwaji, PsyD | 323-428-6815 | |
Chaldean Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle, San Diego (California) | Rose Mamou | 619-579-7997 | |
Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Stamford (Connecticut) | Fr. Peter Shyska | 646-256-6360 | |
Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Nicholas in Chicago (Illinois) | Christina Rudawski | 773-276-5080 | |
St. Thomas Syro-Malabar catholic Diocese of Chicago (Illinois) | Paul Vadakara | 708-307-1122 |
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Eparchy of Newton for the Melkite Greek Catholic Church (Massachusetts) | Victim Assistance Coordinator | 800-479-5910 | |
Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle USA (Michigan) | Nadia Kallabat | 248-351-0440 | |
Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic (New Jersey) | Dr. Maureen Daddona | 516-623-6456 | |
Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance Syriac Catholic Diocese in the US (New Jersey) |
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Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Nareg (New York) | Joanne Hall | 818-243-8400 | |
Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn (New York) | Rosanna Solomon | 617-522-0225 | |
St. Mary, Queen of Peace Syro-Malankara Catholic Eparchy in the USA and Canada (New York) | Fr. Jobin Thomas | 516-849-0211 | |
Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma of the Ruthenians (Ohio) | Dr. Sharon Petrus | 330-958-9630 | |
Romanian Catholic Eparchy of St. George in Canton (Ohio) | Ann Fosnaught | 330-493-9355 | |
Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma (Ohio) | Marika Zaliszczuk | 412-215-5372 | |
Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) | Sr. Natalya Stoczanyn | ||
Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) | Courtney Minerd | 724-504-9588 412-231-4000 |
Mass of Prayer and Penance for Healing of Survivors of Clergy Sex Abuse
On June 14th, 2017, bishops from across the U.S. gathered at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis for a Mass of Prayer and Penance for survivors of sexual abuse within the Church. The Mass was held in response to a call from Pope Francis for all episcopal conferences across the world to have a Day of Prayer and Penance for victims of sexual abuse within the Church. The bishops gathered together in solidarity to pray for victims and to acknowledge the pain caused by the failures of the Church in the past. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was the principal celebrant. Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, of Atlanta, and former President of the USCCB, was the homilist. In addition to this specific Day of Prayer and Penance, many dioceses and eparchies also celebrated their own Masses within their own diocese/eparchy.