BACKGROUND

The Abbot and Monastic Council of Subiaco created the Office of Child Protection as a means of drawing together all our safe environment programs, training, background checks, and certifications. Since the founding of Subiaco Abbey in 1878 on a ridge in the Ouachita mountains, over 170 deceased monks have gone before us in this labor to fully live the monastic life. Today, our forty monks minister in the Abbey, our college-prep Academy, and in parishes across Arkansas. We seek to live-out our lives of prayer and work by sharing the love of Christ with all that we encounter. 

The Office of Child Protection was commissioned with five clearly defined standards that can be found HERE, along with an update from last year's safe guarding work. The mandate of the third standard was precise and succinct: The archives of Subiaco will be reviewed for any instances of prior child abuse and we will provide a public list of monks of Subiaco that have established allegations. When we have learned of the evil and sinful acts that have been perpetrated on the innocent by anyone at Subiaco, we are horrified and devastated. We know that even making this list available today will reopen the wounds for many. We also know that the pain and suffering has continued for years, and our hearts ache as we try to atone for the actions of our brother monks from years past. If you were a victim who has already stepped forward to speak with us, then we thank you for your bold and courageous act. If you are a victim of any abuse by a monk or lay person at Subiaco, then we ask you to please contact us. Whether the abuse was decades ago or recent, please let us know so we can reach out in the way that Christ would expect and demand of us monks. While we cannot change the past, we do hope we can help you begin the journey to be made whole again and allow us to learn from the mistakes of the past. 

To that end, over the past year Subiaco committed to an off-site comprehensive review of all our files, approximately 160 boxes, that would meet the stringent standards set by Praesidium, our outside third-party safe-environment accrediting organization. For our small little abbey founded to promote and live the message of Jesus Christ, what we are doing now is both just and right. This review included:

Monks that have left, been removed, transferred, or been secularized as Diocesan priests since 1950
Deceased monks of Subiaco since 1950
Living monks of Subiaco
Police records of any reported allegations
Reports made by Alumni on possible lines of inquiry or other alums with information
Referral allegations made by dioceses about a Subiaco monk

Therefore, for the purposes of transparency, accountability, and full disclosure, the Office of Child Protection now publishes the following list of monks about whom allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been established. We are continuing to review and investigate allegations and will add to this list as necessary as additional allegations are established. The criteria used to determine the abbey's list was that:

• the allegation involved the sexual abuse of a minor;
• the monk at issue was a member of Subiaco Abbey; and
• the allegation is considered "established" where there is moral certitude that the accusation is true and that an incident of sexual abuse of a minor has occurred (“moral certitude” in this context means a high degree of probability, but short of absolute certainty.)

FAQ page for more detailed responses to common questions>

ESTABLISHED

Fr. Nicholas Fuhrmann, O.S.B., has established allegations of abuse made by multiple victims. The abuse is alleged by the victims to have occurred at Subiaco between the years 1974-1980. Fuhrmann was born "Linus Fuhrmann" on December 15, 1929, professed on September 8, 1962, ordained on May 16, 1954, and died on August 20, 2019. Click on his name for a listing of his assignments and photos. 

Fr. Francis Zimmerer, O.S.B., has established allegations of abuse made by multiple victims. The abuse is alleged by the victims to have occurred between the late 1930's to 1982 in the states of Texas, Michigan, and Arkansas. Zimmerer was born "Hugo Zimmerer" on November 1, 1908, professed on October 5, 1927, ordained on May 21, 1932, and died on January 23, 1983. Click on his name for a listing of his assignments and photos. 

Fr. Patrick Hannon had one allegation of abuse that was reported to have occurred at St. Benedict's Parish School in the early 1950's. Hannon was born "Charles Hannon" on January 31, 1914, professed on September 15 1935, ordained on July 11, 1942, transferred to Corpus Christi Abbey in 1962, believed to have later transferred to the Diocese of Columbus, and died on December 27, 1994. Click on his name for a listing of his assignments and photo. 

INVESTIGATION PENDING

OF NOTE