Fr. Robert J. Kirsch
Ordained: 1957
Assignments:
- 1958-1959: Santo Nino, Aragon, NM (GLP)
- 1960-1963: St. Francis, Seligman, AZ (GLP)
- 1964: Madre de Dios, Winslow, AZ (GLP)
- 1965: Absent on Leave (GLP)
- 1966-1967: St. Eleanor, Ruidoso, NM (SFE)
- 1968-1977: St. Thomas Apostle, Abiqulu, NM (SFE)
- 1978-1979: Our Lady of Most Holy Rosary, Albuquerque, NM (SFE)
- 1980-1989: Santuario San Martin de Porres, Albuquerque, NM (SFE)
- 1990-1991: St. Rose of Lima, Santa Rose, NM (SFE)
- 1992: Unknown
- 1993: Special Assignment; State Penitentiary, Santa Fe, NM (SFE)
- 1994: Retired (SFE)
- 1995-2004: Unknown
- 2005: Died
Fr. Robert J. Kirsch was ordained in the Diocese of Gallup. In a 1993 lawsuit, Fr. Kirsch was accused of child sexual abuse from approximately 1973 to 1977 while he worked at St. Thomas the Apostle in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The lawsuit was later dismissed due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. Following the allegation of child sexual abuse, Fr. Kirsch was reportedly sent to Servants of the Paraclete, an institution known for treating priests accused of child sexual abuse. In 2017, Fr. Kirsch was named on the Archdiocese of Santa Fe’s “List of Priests, Deacons, & Religious Accused of Sexual Abuse of Children.” In 2018, Fr. Kirsch was also named on the Diocese of Gallup’s “List of priests, religious and other persons who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors and who have served in parishes or institutions of the church located within the territorial limits of the Diocese of Gallup.” Fr. Kirsch’s status as a priest, whereabouts, and whether he had access to children from 1995 until his death are unknown.