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Rev. Gerald P. Vosen - Assignment Record

Accused 9/18/03 by a woman at a state SOL (Statute of Limitations) hearing of sexually abusing her brother at age 14 in the early 1970s. The brother denied the allegation. Vosen was removed. The Diocesan Review Board assessed at least three allegations and unanimously recommended leave 2/15/04. In 5/04 Vosen sued a man who alleged fondling and anal rape at age 11-12 by Vosen in 1989-91. A jury rejected the defamation claim 8/4/05; found abuse claim substantiated. Church tribunal of three judges ruled against Vosen in 8/07. Vosen appealed to Vatican's Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith The CDF upheld the diocese's decision, as announced 7/16/15.

Ordained: 1961

Start Stop Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes

1961

Madison bishop was William Patrick O'Connor (1946-1967)

1966 Immaculate Heart of Mary Madison
WI

3/3

Vosen is listed third after Revs. Jerome Mersberger and John H. Hebl 1961-1964, and after Mersberger and Rev. Lawrence M. Trainor 1964-1966.

Parish had a school with 439-295 students.

 

 

 

 

Trainor  was later accused of sexual abuse. (Capital Times
September 19, 2003)

1966

Cletus Francis O'Donnell replaced O'Connor as bishop (1967-1992)

1968 St. Andrew's Verona WI

2/2

Vosen worked under Rev. Joseph A. Brechtl.

St. Andrew's had a school with 110-92 students.
1966 1968 St. William's Paoli WI  

St. William's was a mission of St. Andrew's.

1966 1969 Tribunal Notary        
1967 1967 Diocesan Consultor      

 

1969 1971 Priest Senate        
1968 1970 St. Peter's Madison WI

2/2

Vosen worked under Rev. Lawrence N. Korback.

 
1970 1971 St. Joseph's Avoca WI 1/1  
1970 1971 St. Malachy's Clyde WI   St. Malachy was a mission of St. Joseph.
1971 1974 St. Bernard's Madison WI

2/3

Vosen is listed as second priest, after Msgr. Theodore F. Thome, and before Rev. Donald J. Beckius.

St. Bernard's had a school with 270-202 students.
1974 1975 St. Dennis

Madison

In 2003 a woman reported that she saw Vosen sexually abuse her brother in the 1970s, when the boy was 14 years old, while Vosen was at St. Dennis. The brother denied the abuse happened. (Wisconsin State Journal
December 20, 2003)

WI

2/3

Vosen is listed second, after Rev. Joseph C. Niglis, and before Rev. Michael J. Doro.

St. Dennis had a school with 342 students.
1975 1981 St. Patrick Cottage Grove WI 1/1  
1981 1989 Sacred Heart Reedsburg WI

1/2, 1/1

From 1981-1984 Rev. Clarence N. Koch worked under Vosen, who was the lone priest thereafter.

Sacred Heart had a school with 268-219 students.

1985

1994

2000

1989

1995

2004

Dean of Sauk Deanery        
1988 1994 Council of Priests        

1989

William Henry Bullock replaced O'Donnell as bishop (1993-2003)

1994 St. John Vianney

Janesville

Accused in 2003 of having sexually abused a male St. John Vianney school student between 1989-1991. Vosen sued the family of the accuser. (Capital Times
May 14, 2004) Jury decided in favor of the accuser (Associated Press
August 4, 2005).

WI

1/2

Working under Vosen was Rev. William A. Nolan.

Parish had a school with 213-186 students.
1994 2004 St. Joseph's Baraboo WI 1/1 St. Joseph's had a school with 173-151 students.

2004

Robert Charles Morlino replaced Bullock as bishop of Madison (2003- )

2007 Leave of Absence Placed on paid leave due to allegations by three people of past sexual abuse of minors. (Wisconsin State Journal
February 16, 2004)
     

Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: Kenedy & Sons, 1962-2007). See also Wisconsin State Journal 9.22.03; Capital Times 9.22.03; Wisconsin State Journal 9.24.03; Wisconsin State Journal 11.29.03; Wisconsin State Journal 12.20.03; Wisconsin State Journal 2.16.04; Capital Times 5.14.04; Capital Times 5.06.05; Baraboo News Republic 7.28.05; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (AP) 7.31.05; Capital Times 8.01.05; Janesville Gazette 8.02.05; Janesville Gazette 8.03.05; Janesville Gazette 8.04.05; Associated Press 8.04.05; Janesville Gazette 9.08.05; Case Report: Vosen v. Doe 10.17.05; Baraboo News Republic 10.18.08; Baraboo News Republic 10.21.08; Gazette 11.8.08.

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy & Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

 
 

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