Assignment Record– Rev. J. (James) Vincent Fitzgerald, O.M.I.

Summary of Case: A priest of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate ordained in 1950 in Belleville IL, Fitzgerald moved in and out of a number of dioceses during his career, including Belleville, Springfield and Peoria IL, St. Paul and Minneapolis, Duluth, Crookston and New Ulm MN, Sioux Falls SD, and Springfield-Cape Girardeau MO. He was involved with orphanages in Peoria IL and Sisseton SD. He returned to his Order in Belleville sometime in the early 1990s and died in 2009. Fitzgerald was accused in a 2010 lawsuit of having repeatedly sexually abused two residents of the Tekakwitha Indian Orphanage in the 1960s: a girl ages 4-13, and a 10 or 11-year-old boy. In a February 2014 lawsuit Fitzgerald was accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy around 1978. He had met the boy while at a pastoral education program at a parish in the New Ulm diocese, and invited him to serve as an altar boy for two weeks at his Squaw Lake MN parish. It is during those two weeks that the abuse is said to have occurred. The lawsuit also claimed Fitzgerald sexually abused another child during his time in Squaw Lake, on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation near Bemidji MN. In November 2015 a jury awarded the plaintiff in this case $8.1 million.

Born: December 9, 1919
Ordained: May 1950
Died: September 7, 2009

 

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Start Stop Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes

1941

1943 St. Henry's College Belleville IL student  
1943 1944 St. Peter's Novitiate Mission TX student  
1944 1944

Major Seminary, DeMazenod Scholasticate

San Antonio TX student  
1944 1950          

1950

Belleville diocese was Henry J. Althoff (1913-1947), followed byAlbert Rudolph Zuroweste (1947-1976).

1951     IL   Fitzgerald is not indexed in the 1951 Directory. He was ordained in 1950 in Belleville, IL.

1951

Springfield IL bishop was William Aloysius O'Connor (1948-1975).

1954 St. Joseph's Novitiate Godfrey IL Procurator  

1951

Springfield L diocese

1954 Alton State Hospital Alton IL Chaplain  

1954

St. Paul archbishop was John Gregory Murray (1931-1956), followed by William Otterwell Brady (1956-1961).

1957 King's House Buffalo MN   This was the Order's retreat house.

11/13/57

Duluth bishop was Thomas Anthony Welch (1925-1959), followed by Francis Joseph Schenk (1960-1969).

9/10/61 St. Michael's Northome MN 1/1 Missions -St. Theresa's in Effie, Our Lady of the Snows in Big Fork.

1961

Peoria bishop was John Baptist Franz (1959-1971).

1962 Guardian Angel Home Peoria IL In residence. This was an orphanage with 40 children.
1962 1963         Fitzgerald is not indexed in the 1963 Directory, nor is he listed at his previous or next assgnments in the diocesan pages.

9/01/63

Duluth diocese

9/01/64 Holy Cross Orr MN 1/1  

9/01/63

Duluth diocese

8/02/66 Immaculate Conception Nett Lake MN 1/1  

1967

Sioux Falls bishop was Lambert Anthony Hoch (1956-1978).

1968 St. Matthew's, St. Joseph's, St. Catherine's

Sisseton

Accused in a July 2010 lawsuit of sexually abusing a girl numerous times when she was ages 4-13 at the Tekakwitha Orphanage. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of multiple former residents of the orphanage and names multiple priests, religious brothers and nuns as perpetrators of abuse there. Fitzgerald is said to have come to the girl's bed at night, penetrate her vagina to the point of her bleeding, and trying to penetrate her with his penis. He also is said to have forced her to masturbate him.

Accused in same 2010 lawsuit of sexually abusing a 10 or 11-year-old boy in the mid-1960s at the orphanage. Fitzgerald is said to have repeatedly rubbed lotion on the boy's penis and testicles.

SD  

These along with the Tekakwitha Indian Orphanage were missions of St. Peter's in Sisseton.

Defendants in the July 2010 lawsuit were the Diocese of Sioux Falls, Sisters of the Divine Savior, and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

1968

Duluth diocese

1969

St. Michael's

Northome MN 1/1 Mission - St. Catherine's in Squaw Lake.

8/01/68

Shenk was succeeded as Duluth bishop by Paul Francis Anderson (1969-1982), followed by Robert Henry Brom (1983-1989).

 

New Ulm bishop was Raymond Alphonse Lucker (1975-2000).

10/28/83 St. Catherine's

Squaw Lake

Accused of sexually abusing a boy during this time on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation near Bemidji.

In a lawsuit filed in February 2014, Fitzgerald was accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old Minnesota boy over a two-week period in the 1970s at St. Catherine's. Fitzgerald is said to have met the boy at St. Thomas More in Willmar MN, in the Diocese of New Ulm. Fitzgerald was attending a 12-week pastoral education program there and helping out at the parish. He reportedly invited the boy to Squaw Lake to serve as a temporary altar boy.

MN 1/1

Mission - St. Michael's in Northome 1973-74

Chapel - Inger (St. Charles in Pennington, Crookston diocese) 1976-79.

 

A civil trial against the Diocese of New Ulm related to this case was held in October 2015. The plaintiff was awarded $8.1 million.

1983

Crookston bishop was Victor Herman Balke (1976-2007).

1986 St. Anne's

Naytahwaush

Accused in a lawsuit filed in November 2013 of sexually abusing an 8 or 9 year-old altar boy at St. Anne's in the mid-1980s.

MN 1/1

Missions - St. Francis Cabrini in Big Elbow Lake; St. Benedict in White Earth.

The 1986 Directory lists St. Benedict's in White Earth as Fitzgerald's parish, with St. Francis Cabrini in Big Elbow Lake and St. Anne's in Naytahwaush as missions.

Defendants in the November 2013 lawsuit were the Diocese of Crookston and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

1986 1987         Fitzgerald is not indexed in the 1987 Directory.

1987

Springfield- Cape Girardeau bishop was John Joseph Leibrecht (1984-2008).

1988 Immaculate Heart of Mary Mansfield MO

3/3

Fitzgerald was assigned to IHM's mission, St. William's, as the only priest.

Missions - St. William's in Gainesville; St. Leo the Great in Ava.

1988 1991         Fitzgerald is not indexed in the 1989, 1990 or 1991 Directories.

1991

St. Paul-Minneapolis archbishop was John Robert Roach (1975-1995).

1993 Oblate Provincial Offices St. Paul MN    

1993

Belleville bishop was Wilton Daniel Gregory (1993-2004), follwed by Edward Kenneth Braxton (2005-).

2006 St. Henry's Oblate Residence Belleville IL   Fitzgerald is not indexed beyond the 2006 Directory. He died September 7, 2009.

 

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1950-2006)

MWD et al v Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls et al Minnehaha County Circuit Court, July 30, 2010
Nun Abuse at Hell's Orphanage, By Matt C. Abbott, Renew America, August 14, 2010
Sexual Abuse Alleged at Orphanage, By Jeff Martin, Argus Leader, August 6, 2010
Abuse by Priests, Nuns Alleged at S.D. Orphanage, By Dirk Lammers, Sioux City Journal, August 6, 2010
New Abuse Suit Filed against Crookston Diocese; Accusations Focus on Priest with Area Reservation Ties, By Stephen J. Lee, Bemidji Pioneer, November 22, 2013
Cheers and Jeers, Crookston Times, November 21, 2013
Doe 19 v Diocese of Crookston et al 62-CV-13-8095, November 21, 2013
Member of White Earth Band of Chippewa Sues Crookston Diocese, By Stephen J. Lee, Grand Forks Herald, November 21, 2013
First Civil Suit to Be Filed under Child Victims Act Involving Sexual Abuse on a Reservation, Jeff Anderson & Associates, November 21, 2013
Man Claims Priest Abused Him at White Earth Indian Reservation, By Scott Theisen, KSTP, November 21, 2013
Man Claims Priest Abused Him at White Earth, KTTC, November 21, 2013
Lawsuit Accuses Minn. Priest of Abuse on White Earth Reservation, By Dan Gunderson, Minnesota Public Radio, November 21, 2013
Diocese of Crookston Faces More Allegations of Sexual Abuse, By Victor Correa, WDAZ, November 21, 2013
Lawsuit Accuses Former South Dakota Friar of Child Abuse, By John Hult, Argus Leader, November 22, 2013
New Abuse Suit Filed against Crookston Diocese; Accusations Focus on Priest with Area Reservation Ties, By Stephen J. Lee, Bemidji Pioneer, November 22, 2013
Clergy with Credible Claims against Them Concerning Sexual Abuse of a Young Person, Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth, December 31, 2013
Bishop Sirba Releases Names of Credibly Accused Priests, Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth, December 31, 2013
Diocese of Duluth Releases Names of Accused Priests, By Tom Olsen, Duluth News Tribune, December 31, 2013
The Diocese of Duluth Release Their List of 17 Priests Accused of Sexually Abusing Minors, By Mike Bryant, Legal Examiner, December 31, 2013
Bishop Sirba Releases Names of 17 Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse in Duluth Diocese, Northlands News Center, December 31, 2013
Duluth Diocese Releases List of Accused Priests, By Tom Olsen, Duluth News Tribune, January 1, 2014
Father Francis Garvey Deposition: New Ulm Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse Identified, Jeff Anderson & Associates, August 4, 2014
Media Advisory: Diocese of New Ulm and Diocese of Duluth Named in Sexual Abuse Lawsuit, By Media Advisory
Jeff Anderson & Associates, February 12, 2014
New Ulm Diocese Faces New Lawsuit, Mankato Free Press, February 12, 2014
Priest Named in Sexual Abuse Lawsuit, WDIO, February 13, 2014
New Lawsuit Seeks List of New Ulm Diocese Clergy, The Journal, February 13, 2014
Names of New Ulm Priests Accused of Sexual Misconduct Released, By Megan Stewart, KSTP, August 4, 2014
New Ulm Diocese under Pressure to Release Names of Abusing Priests, By Jean Hopfensperger, Star Tribune, August 4, 2014
Judge Orders Diocese of Crookston to Produce Secret Clergy Abuse Records for First Time, Jeff Anderson & Associates,
August 31, 2015
Diocese of Crookston Ordered to Produce Records about Alleged Sex Abuse, By Jennie Lissarrague, KSTP, August 31, 2015
First Trial under Child Victims Act Starts October 19 against Diocese of Duluth, Jeff Anderson & Associates, September 1, 2015
First Trial Against Duluth Diocese Set to Begin, By Tom Olsen, Duluth News Tribune, October 17, 2015
Statement from Diocese of Duluth, Northland News Center, October 19, 2015
More Church Documents Ordered Released in Ramsey County Clergy Sex Abuse Trial, By Chao Xiong, Star Tribune,
October 19, 2015
Church Sex Abuse Lawsuit Heads to Court, By Nick Minock, Northlands News Center, October 19, 2015
Duluth priest's abuse trial likely a first under Child Victims Act, By Elizabeth Mohr, Pioneer Press, October 19, 2015
Ramsey County Jury Awards $8.1 Million to Clergy Abuse Survivor, By Jeff Anderson, Jeff Anders& Associates, November 4, 2015
Jury awards more than $8 million in northern MN clergy sex abuse case, Minnesota Public Radio, November 4, 2015
Jury awards $8M in northern Minnesota clergy sex abuse case, Seattle PI, November 4, 2015
MN--Victims applaud MN pedophile priest verdict, By David Clohessy, Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests,
November 4, 2015
Jury finds Diocese of Duluth and Catholic order responsible for child sex abuse, By Chao Xiong, Star Tribune, November 4, 2015

 



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 and 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.

This assignment record collates Fitzgerald 's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on November 9, 2015.