Seven men were abused as children by priests, many of whom served in the Hudson Valley. It’s assumed the local priests abused more children.

Since October, over 100 victims settled their sex abuse cases against the Archdiocese of New York. A lawyer for seven men said they named the abusers in hopes more victims will come forward.

“It’s a public safety imperative, because these are individuals who in many cases have an extended history in the archdiocese,” J. Michael Reck told the New York Times.

All of the men received settlements of $150,000 to $350,000 each from the archdiocese.

The abuse began in the 1970s and 1980s, but most of the priests worked into the 2000s, according to the New York Times report. The priests are no longer active. Five are no longer priests.

Rev. Peter Kihm: Kim was pastor from 1999-2013 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Poughkeepsie and also served as administrator of St. John the Baptist, Poughkeepsie. He served at St. Ann’s in Nyack, St. Ann’s in Ossining, and Fishkill’s St. Mary’s. Kim taught at Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie from 1987-1992. He was laicized in 2016.

Rev. Gennaro “Jerry” Gentile: Gentile was laicized in 2005. He was sued by two victims in 1997 after moving through many different parishes from the 1970s through 2000s. He is accused of abuse in Wappinger Falls, Poughkeepsie, Hopewell Junction, Marlboro, Gardiner, Yonkers, Tuckahoe, Cronton-On Hudson and the Bronx.

Rev. Francis Stinner: In the 1970s and 1980s, Stinner worked at high schools in Goshen and Somers. A parent first reported abuse allegations in 1988, but an investigation didn’t begin until 1997. He was laicized in 2005.

Rev. Ralph LaBelle: Labelle was removed from Sacred Heart in Patterson in 2002 after a number of victims reported abuse. He was laicized in 2005. He also worked in parishes in the Bronx, Staten Island and Manhattan.

Rev. John O’Keefe: O’Keefe was laicized in 2016. He was a pastor of St. Margaret of Antioch Parish in Pearl River for 10 years, worked at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx from 1976 to 1991 and was the president of Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains from 1992 until 2004.

Rev. Richard Gorman was the chairman of Community Board 12 in the Bronx and worked at Cardinal Spellman High School for more than 20 years. He was suspended last year over allegations of sexual abuse.

A spokesman for the archdiocese told the New York Times that he hopes more victims will submit claims, adding he has no issues with the victims’ wanting to publicize their abusers.

 

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