Rev. J. Irvin Mouser [Louisville archdiocese]

Church in Crisis
The Rev. J. Irvin Mouser

Louisville Courier-Journal
September 29, 2002

http://www.courier-journal.com/cjextra/2002projects/priestabuse/stories/mouser_sthelen.html

[See the main page of this special section on the Church in Crisis.]

Mouser, who is accused of abuse in five lawsuits, is on leave from his job with two Bardstown parishes. The allegations in three cases span his time at St. Helen, and two concern his tenure at St. Francis of Assisi. He has not commented on the allegations involving him.

ST. HELEN

PLAINTIFF: Dennis E. Grismer
AGE: 46
ADDRESS: Jefferson County
OCCUPATION: Letter carrier
SUIT FILED: June 26
DEFENDANT: Archdiocese of Louisville
DATE AND LOCATION OF ALLEGED ABUSE: 1968 to 1969, St. Helen school basement and in Mouser's car
ACCUSATION: Groping
DETAILS OF ALLEGATION: Grismer said Mouser had been coming to his family's home after Grismer's sister died. Grismer said his mother asked if Mouser would take Grismer to a drive-in movie, and he mentioned it to his best friend, who came along. Grismer said Mouser gave him and his friend alcohol. While at the drive-in and on the way back, Grismer said Mouser would wrestle with one of the boys and grope him. Grismer said he was also called to the school basement to help Mouser move boxes. They began wrestling, Grismer said, and he was groped again.
WAS ANYONE TOLD? Grismer said he told his mother after the second incident but said she didn't tell his father.
IN THE PLAINTIFF'S WORDS: "I was an altar boy and played sports, and you felt safe at everything you did. All of a sudden you're looking over your shoulder and dreading to hear your name. I love the religion and I still have my faith, but I don't go to church."

PLAINTIFF: Larry M. Jacobs
AGE: 45
FILED SUIT: July 5
DEFENDANT: Archdiocese of Louisville
DATE AND LOCATION OF ALLEGED ABUSE: About 1968, St. Helen
ACCUSATION: Lawsuit says Mouser "forcibly sexually molested, abused, battered and assaulted " Jacobs.
IN THE PLAINTIFF'S WORDS: "My goal is to get him away from kids," Jacobs said before refusing to answer further questions.

PLAINTIFF: Mark G. Stanley
AGE: 48
ADDRESS: Louisville
FILED SUIT: July 30
DEFENDANT: Archdiocese of Louisville
DATE AND LOCATION OF ALLEGED ABUSE: 1970, drive-in
ACCUSATION: Oral sodomy
DETAILS OF ALLEGATION: Stanley said he attended teen clubs at St. Helen, which Mouser coordinated, and he got to know the priest. On one occasion after his freshman year in high school he said he went to a drive-in with Mouser, where the priest got him intoxicated and performed oral sodomy, according to the suit.
WAS ANYONE TOLD? No
IN THE PLAINTIFF'S WORDS: "I want everybody in the hierarchy held accountable henceforth for their underlings."

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

PLAINTIFF: Daniel R. Hadorn
AGE: 46
ADDRESS: Jefferson County
OCCUPATION: Mechanic
FILED SUIT: July 30
DEFENDANT: Archdiocese of Louisville
DATE AND LOCATION OF ALLEGED ABUSE: 1972, Mouser's car
ACCUSATION: Fondling
DETAILS OF ALLEGATION: Hadorn said he was 15 when Mouser took him to the old Parkway Drive-In. Mouser provided Hadorn with beer and later forced Hadorn to fondle him, Hadorn said. Hadorn said he got out of the car, slammed the door and ran home.
WAS ANYONE TOLD? No
IN THE PLAINTIFF'S WORDS: "It still bothers me to this day. My wife tells me sometimes I talk in my sleep. It's a horrific thing. I lost my faith in the church and its leaders."

PLAINTIFF: J. Lee Money
AGE: 41
ADDRESS: Jefferson County
OCCUPATION: Insurance claim manager
FILED SUIT: July 30
DEFENDANT: Archdiocese of Louisville
DATE AND LOCATION OF ALLEGED ABUSE: 1974, St. Francis of Assisi rectory and in Mouser's car
ACCUSATION: Fondling, oral sex, attempted sodomy
DETAILS OF ALLEGATION: Money said he was 13 at the time of his eighth grade graduation from St. Francis of Assisi School when Mouser took him and three other boys to a drive-in movie. Mouser bought beer for the boys and dropped off all but Money later in the evening, telling Money he was going to look for women and asked if he wanted to come along. The abuse began, Money said, in the car and continued when Mouser took Money back to his room at the rectory. The abuse included fondling, oral sex and attempted anal sex, Money said. Money said the abuse stopped at about 6:45 a.m. when Mouser told Money to stay in the rectory while Mouser went to say Mass. Money got dressed then ran home.
WAS ANYONE TOLD? Money said he told a friend that Mouser tried to abuse him. Mouser said he approached the archdiocese earlier this year about a settlement before he filed suit. Cecelia Price, the archdiocese's spokeswoman, declined to comment on any possible talks with Money because of his pending suit.
IN THE PLAINTIFF'S WORDS: "I'm having some doubts lately (about being a practicing Catholic), but I'm just believing this is a cleansing period."