Capuchin Province of St. Joseph 1932 to 2013: Independent auditors find 23 friars confirmed to have abused minors; at St. Lawrence Seminary boarding school no case was reported to the authorities before 1992

The Capuchin Province of St. Joseph, covering the US Midwest, had its files examined in 2012 and 2013 by three independent auditors, including the canon lawyer Thomas Doyle. Of 1,283 friars since the 19th century, 46 had been accused of abusing minors, and in 23 cases this was considered confirmed. From 1932 to 1991 there is no evidence that police or child protective services were ever informed. At the boys' boarding school St. Lawrence Seminary in Wisconsin, students accused teachers and administrators for decades without decisive action; at least three provincial ministers knew. From 1989 the provincial paid victims small sums for counselling in exchange for confidentiality clauses. Only a newspaper report in December 1992 made the scandal public.

Period

1932-2013 (81 years)

Country

United States

Institutions

Capuchin Province of St. Joseph
St. Lawrence Seminary Mount Calvary

Category

Sexual abuse, Cover-up

Level of evidence

A Primary source · what does this mean?

Persons

Gale Leifeld (Capuchin, teacher at St. Lawrence Seminary, according to the audit abused numerous students, died 1994)

Background

Who received the assets, who profited?

1. From at least 1989 to 1992 provincial minister Ken Reinhart met with victims from St. Lawrence Seminary and paid them usually 2,000 to 3,500 dollars for counselling in exchange for releases of liability with confidentiality clauses. He promised some that the accused friars would no longer be around minors; when the victims realised he did not keep this promise, they went to the press. After the Milwaukee Journal report on 20 December 1992, according to the auditors, the provincial leadership largely surrendered its response to victims to its insurer's defence lawyers, which re-victimised many.
   Evidence: Michael Burnett, Thomas Doyle, James Freiburger, im Auftrag der Kapuzinerprovinz St. Joseph, Executive Summary, St. Lawrence Seminary

   „range of $2,000 to $3,500) in exchange for releases of liability that included confidentiality“

   Evidence: Michael Burnett, Thomas Doyle, James Freiburger, im Auftrag der Kapuzinerprovinz St. Joseph, Executive Summary, St. Lawrence Seminary

   „When the victims realized that he did not comply with this“

   Evidence: Michael Burnett, Thomas Doyle, James Freiburger, im Auftrag der Kapuzinerprovinz St. Joseph, Executive Summary, St. Lawrence Seminary

   „provincial leaders essentially surrendered their response to the victims to defense counsel“

Response of the Church

1. According to the auditors there is no evidence from 1932 to 1991 that police or child protective services were ever informed of abuse reports. At St. Lawrence Seminary, a boys' boarding school in Mount Calvary, Wisconsin, many students accused teachers and administrators over decades, but the school leadership generally took no decisive action; friars who knew informed neither authorities nor parents, and at least three provincial ministers knew. Although teachers had been mandated reporters since 1978, no case was reported. Fr. Gale Leifeld, who had abused numerous students, was moved to parish ministry in 1982 and only removed from ministry in 1993.
   Evidence: Michael Burnett, Thomas Doyle, James Freiburger, im Auftrag der Kapuzinerprovinz St. Joseph, Executive Summary

   „From 1932 to 1991, there is no evidence that civil officials from either law enforcement or child“

   Evidence: Michael Burnett, Thomas Doyle, James Freiburger, im Auftrag der Kapuzinerprovinz St. Joseph, Executive Summary, St. Lawrence Seminary

   „SLS students accused SLS faculty and administrators of sexual abuse, yet SLS leaders generally took no decisive action“

   Evidence: Michael Burnett, Thomas Doyle, James Freiburger, im Auftrag der Kapuzinerprovinz St. Joseph, Executive Summary, St. Lawrence Seminary

   „at least three provincial ministers knew about sexual abuse at SLS“

   Evidence: Michael Burnett, Thomas Doyle, James Freiburger, im Auftrag der Kapuzinerprovinz St. Joseph, Executive Summary, St. Lawrence Seminary

   „Fr. Gale Leifeld, who abused numerous students“

Original documents to read

1. Commission report
   Michael Burnett, Thomas Doyle, James Freiburger, im Auftrag der Kapuzinerprovinz St. Joseph: Report of the Audit and Review of the Files of the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph, 18 June 2013. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.