On May 21, the Franciscan Province of Santa Barbara released a list of clergy and friars credibly accused of abuse. Two of the priests listed were assigned to the Diocese of Gallup throughout the 1960s-1980s.
The two priests of the Santa Barbara Province, Fr. Camillus Cavagnaro and Fr. Sylvester Mancuso, are accused of abuse during assignments outside of the Diocese of Gallup, and will be added to the corresponding list on our diocesan website.
During the process of verifying the assignments, we learned that a third friar, Br. Dennis Duffy, was credibly accused of abuse during an assignment within our Diocese, in Whiteriver, AZ. The accusation was made to the province after Br. Duffy left our diocese, and was not brought to our attention until after the province publicly released the list. Since learning of the allegation, the Diocese of Gallup has informed law enforcement officials in Arizona so that a proper investigation can be carried out.
We have also added Fr. Roman Pfalzer, OFM, to our list of priests credibly accused of abuse from assignments outside of the Diocese of Gallup. Fr. Pfalzer is listed on the credibly accused clergy list published by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe as well as the credibly accused clergy list published by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, and we have now verified the dates and times of his assignments in the Diocese of Gallup.
If you or anyone you know has an allegation of abuse to report and has not yet done so, please contact your local law enforcement agency. A list of those contacts in New Mexico and Arizona can be found here. You may also seek help by contacting our Victims Assistance Coordinator, Elizabeth Terrill, at [email protected] or by calling 505-906-7357.
Names and Assignments of Newly-Added Clergy Credibly Accused of Abuse During Assignments Within the Diocese of Gallup
Br. Dennis Duffy, O.F.M.
Assignments in the Diocese of Gallup:
St. Francis of Assisi, Whiteriver, AZ (residence in San Carlos, AZ) (1971 – 1973)
St. Francis of Assisi, Whiteriver, AZ and St. Catherine in Cibecue, AZ (July 1, 1975 – 1980 )
Listed by the Franciscan Province of St. Barbara in May 2019 for allegations of abuse occurring in 1975, (during tenure at St. Francis in Whiteriver). Allegation was reported to province in 1990.*
*The known accusations of this person are limited to those documented by the Franciscan Friars, Province of St. Barbara and not made known to the Diocese of Gallup until the release of their list of Credibly Accused Friars on May 21, 2019.
Names and Assignments of Newly-Added Clergy Credibly Accused of Abuse During Assignments Outside of the Diocese of Gallup
Fr. Roman Pfalzer, O.F.M. (deceased)
Assignments in the Diocese of Gallup:
St. Francis Church, Gallup, NM (July 5, 1949 – July 1951)
Allegations of abuse listed by Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Allegations of abuse listed by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Fr. Camillus Cavagnaro, O.F.M. (deceased)
Assignments in the Diocese of Gallup:
St. Francis Church, Whiteriver AZ and St. Catherine in Cibecue, AZ (Sept 1, 1978 – May 1984)
Allegations of abuse listed by the Franciscan Province of St. Barbara
Fr. Sylvester Mancuso, O.F.M. (deceased)
Assignments in the Diocese of Gallup:
St. Francis Church, Whiteriver AZ and St. Catherine in Cibecue, AZ (July 19, 1964 – June 15, 1971)
Allegations of abuse listed by the Franciscan Province of St. Barbara