Late 1950-61 White in Seminary
John Doe 1B abused by Harold White prior to his ordination when he was a deacon at Holy Family. Report #1: Victim reported abuse to nun who then slammed his head against the blackboard and told him never to speak of the abuse again.
6/24/60 St. Catherine’s – Denver, CO:
Harold Robert White ordained for the Archdiocese of Denver. He was assigned to St. Catherine=s Parish.
9/1960 Archdiocese internal documents on White Report # 2 – “4 boys – ‘little bit familiar'” (White document – 0068)
12/13/61 Archdiocesan secret documents regarding White show report of child sexual abuse, repeatedly stress that the Archdiocese wants to prevent scandal (publicity) and that the family of the abused was threatened that their conversations have the seal of confession. Report # 3. The documents state:
“[redacted] came to [redacted] within the past few days to complain that his boy had been approached by Father White to cooperate in an unnatural act contra sexum.”
“He appealed to the family to cooperate in an effort to protect the church against scandal . . .”
“I questioned [redacted] as to the possibility of scandal, and he is satisfied that at present there is no danger. He thinks the [redacted] will not talk, nor the boy to his comrades. He cautioned [redacted] that it was “almost confessional secrecy”
“He proposes to take the work with the boys out of his hands, so as to remove the danger of temptation, but will wait until after Christmas and do it in a quiet way.”
“And he promised that he will keep his eye open for any indications of danger or of scandal.”
“Since no scandal is apparently to be feared, I presume you will not object to leaving him in [redacted]’s care.”
(White document – 0073 – 0074)
1961 John Doe 1A met Harold White while at St. Joseph’s Hospital. After released from hospital, White came to visit John Doe 1A at his home and abused him.
1961-1963 White sexually abused Gary Wolf in 7th and 8th grade. Report #4: During his abuse he made multiple reports to the nuns at St. Catherine=s, including Sr. Agatha Irene. Report #5: He also reported it to Msgr. Delisle Lemieux on one occasion. Abuse continued. Order of nuns was the Sisters of St. Joseph.
1961-63 White sexually abused John Doe 1D at St. Catherine’s. Report #6: Victim reported abuse to Sr. Agatha Irene and Msgr. Delisle Lemieux.
early 1960s Report #7: An anonymous man reported his abuse to the nuns of St. Catherine=s. They accuse him of lying. (Denver Post 8/5/05)
1/( ~1963) Archdiocesan secret notes on conversation with Father White show White’s admission of sexual abuse and that sometimes he is able to go weeks without abusing kids. Admission # 1. The notes state:
“He declared that he had made some serious mistakes, . . ., when alone with some boy overwhelming curiosity over comes him, not very often, sometimes catches himself and does not complete act, goes weeks without falling.”
(White Document – 0075)
2/7/1963 Archdiocesan secret document discussing White show White’s admission that he sexually molested 5 children and show that he had to be moved because too many people at the parish knew about him abusing kids. Admissions # 2-6. Report # 8. The document states:
“While there an approach was made by the priest to the boy for an indecent act.”
“When the boy told his parents, the father asked if this had happened before or to others: [redacted] answered that it had gone one with ‘so many’ boys.”
“The two women in discussing the matter said the it was just an attempt with [redacted]; it was ‘worse’ with [redacted], son of [redacted].”
“Father White called me; the evening of the same day to ask for an appointment. I talked with him the following morning:
After sparring for some time, Father said he . . . was fighting his tendency to such offences. He admitted the attempt with the [redacted] boy . . .
After Father opened up, he admitted the approach to the boy, saying he had touched his leg, immodest touches, and the boy’s passions were aroused. He admitted two such incidents during the spring and summer. Then he admitted the following incidents: once with [redacted]; twice with [redacted]; twice with [redacted], on one of which he does not think his passions were aroused. Asked if this was all, he said there was one other, with [redacted].”
“It was his judgment that Father must leave the parish immediately, and that he could not work again as a priest in the city of Denver because of the wide knowledge of his offenses in St. Catherine’s parish and Holy Family School.”
(White Documents 0076-0078) (emphasis added) (White documents 0079-0082 appear to be hand written notes stating the same as the typed notes at 0076-0078)
1963 St. Mary’s – Colorado Springs, CO
White assigned to St. Mary=s. (Cath Dir)
1963 White abused another child.
1965 Report # 9: The family of a boy reported to the pastor of St. Mary=s that White molested their son on a trip to Alaska. White transferred a short time later. (Denver Post 8/5/05)
1/6/1965 Archdiocesan secret document on White show another report of child sexual abuse at new parish and that it again involved numerous boys. Report # 10. It states:
“Because of ‘boy troubles’, I felt it was best to get Father Robert White out of Colorado Springs immediately, . . .”
“This is his second such public offense since his ordination – June 4, 1960.”
“Both affairs apparently are known by the parents of some of the boys who brought it to the attention of the pastors. In both cases, several boys were involved.”
“I once heard you say that this is the ‘unforgivable sin’ of the Bible. In my experience with several cases of this type in the yesterday years, they carried the affliction with them to the grave.”
(Archdiocesan White document 0089)
5/14/1965 Archdiocesan secret document regarding White states
“I write to ask if you would care to take Father Robert White as an assistant. As you may know, he was involved with boys at St. Mary High School in Colorado Springs . . .”
(Archdiocesan White document 0090)
1965 St. Anthony’s – Sterling, CO
White was assigned to St. Anthony=s in Sterling, CO. (Cath Directory)
1967-68 Greg Roberts was molested.
1968 Report # 11: Fr. James E. Kane, White=s pastor at St. Anthony=s, confirms that the family of Greg Roberts told him that White had molested their son. Kane says he told Archbishop James Casey. White was transferred a short time later. (Denver Post 8/5/05)
8/13/1978 Archdiocesan secret document on White reports inappropriate conduct with youth. Report # 12. It states:
“[redacted] had spoken to her of the relationship of Fr. White with some of the students in the grade school. [redacted] told her that she had been tempted to write to you last year, but hesitated because she had no real accusation over and above Father White’s favoritism and close relationship with some of the students. She also mentioned that he was involved in much too close a relationship with one of the [redacted], but did not mention her name.”
(Archdiocesan White document 0103)
9/4/68 St. John the Evangelist – Loveland, CO
White assigned to St. John the Evangelist in Loveland, CO (Cath Dir)
1968-70 White sexually abused Jane Doe 1. White took her on skiing trips and provided alcohol.
1968-70 White sexually abused John Koldeway at St. John’s.
1968-69/70 White sexually abused John Doe 1.
1968-69 White sexually abused John Doe 1C in the church rectory and on skiing trips.
1969 White sexually abused an anonymous man at St. John the Evangelist. (Denver Post 8/5/05)
1969-1970 White molested Robert Kinney, Jr. at St. John the Evangelist in Loveland, CO. Robert was 14 years old and in 8th grade. The abuse continued after White was
transferred from Loveland.
12/2/70 St. Patrick’s – Minturn, CO
White is assigned to St. Patrick=s in Minturn, CO as Pastor. (Cath Dir)
1970-71 Randy Becker met White at St. John’s. After leaving, White comes back to visit
Randy and abused him.
1970 White sexually abused Brandon Trask at St. Patrick=s in Minturn. Brandon lived across the street from the St. Patrick=s rectory.
4/23/1971 Archdiocesan secret documents on White show continuing pattern with young children. Report # 13. The documents state:
“The priest who worried the parents of teen-age boys was Father Robert White.”
“On these trips under-age boys were allowed to drive his car on the highway, and drinking beer en route was the usual custom, even for pre-teens.”
“But most disturbing of all was his sitting with a boy in his lap. This was observed on two separate occasions.”
(Archdiocesan White documents 0112-0114)
1970-78 White abused Tom Koldeway between the approximate ages of 9-18.
1979-81 St. Mary’s – Aspen, CO
White assigned as the pastor of St. Mary=s in Aspen, CO. (Denver Post 8/5/05)
1979/’81 An anonymous man told the Denver Post (in 2005) that White abused him through the late 1970s or early 1980s at an Aspen parish (Denver Post article 8/5/05).
4/16/81 Archdiocesan secret memorandum regarding White shows continuing sexual activity towards children. Report # 14. The memo states:
“He had been contacted by a parishioner about alleged improper advances made toward her 16 year old son by Father White.”
(Archdiocesan White document 0134-0135)
1981 Harold Robert White is Aon sabbatical@ during this year. (Denver Post 8/5/05)
1981-83 Good Shepard – Denver, CO
White assigned to Good Shepard in Denver as associate pastor. Note that he had been pastor in his previous assignment. (Denver Post 8/5/05)
1983-85 Ss. Peter and Paul – Wheat Ridge, Co
White assigned as associate pastor at Ss. Peter and Paul in Wheat Ridge, CO. (Denver Post 8/5/05)
1985-90 St. Anne’s – Grand Lake, CO
White assigned to St. Anne=s in Grand Lake, CO. (Cath Dir)
1988 A victim contacted the Archdiocese to report his abuse by White circa mid-1960s. Report # 15. They tell him that White is being referred out for a psych evaluation, but White continues to serve in active ministry. (Denver Post 8/5/05)
1990 Holy Name Church – Steamboat Springs, CO
White assigned to Holy Name Church in Steamboat Springs, CO. (Cath Directory)
1990-93 St. Patrick’s – Minturn, CO
White re-assigned to St. Patrick=s in Minturn, CO. (Cath Directory)
1993 White voluntarily leaves active ministry. (Denver Post 8/5/05)
2003 Tom Koldeway contacted the Archdiocese.
2004 Harold Robert White is laicized. (Denver Post 8/5/05)
2005-06 12 Complaints filed, by 12 plaintiffs in today’s settlement, naming Harold White and the Archdiocese of Denver as defendants. Numerous other complaints filed verses Archdiocese because of White abusing children.
7/1/08 Settlement announcement
7/2/08 Archdiocesan secret documents regarding White disclosed as part of settlement