How many predators need to be credibly accused before the school is shut down? Before the schools starts an investigation? Before the school issues a public apology? Before they reach out to those who have been assaulted, hurt, or traumatized?

The storied Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California has employed at least 13 credibly predators in its time.

To this day, Mater Dei and the Diocese of Orange officials have never apologized to Mater Dei survivors, reached out to those who are hurting, or conducted in investigation into the scope and scale of child sexual abuse and cover-up at the school.

Recently, Jeff Anderson & Associates announced another $3.5 million settlement with the Diocese of Orange and Mater Dei with another survivor of former principal Fr. Michael Harris.

Despite overwhelming evidence of abuse and cover-up, the Diocese continues to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars paying lawyers to fight and silence victims. They would rather pay money to lawyers than create change, promote healing, and enforce accountability.

Harris is accused of abusing at least 13 victims, though it is likely the actual number of victims is much higher. Lawsuits and police reports have also exposed an additional 12 predators at the school.

As recently as 2021, officials covered up hazing and sexual assault allegations at the school.

Little, if anything, has changed.

Here’s an overview of Mater Dei staff accused of abuse:

• Bertrand Horvath – 1970s: Horvath molested a student during his time teaching at St. Killian’s in Mission Viejo. Horvath taught at Mater Dei in the 1970s.
• G. Patrick Ziemann – 1971-1974: Ziemann, the former bishop of Santa Rosa, has been accused of sexual abuse by at least three boys. He was also accused by a fellow priest of coercing the priest into sex, in exchange for not reporting that priest for stealing money from an Ukiah Parish. Ziemann taught at Mater Dei from 1971-1974.
• David La Pierre, OFM – 1974-1977: La Pierre, a Capuchin priest, David La Pierre, was accused of molesting at least one child in 1983-84 while at St. Francis High School in La Canada-Flintridge. He taught at Mater Dei from 1974-1977.
• R. Richardson – 1970s-1984: Cross Country coach C.R. Richardson was arrested in 1984 for molesting students at his cabin at Big Bear. He taught and coached at Mater Dei from the late 1970s until 1984.
• Jerome Henson, OP – 1986-1987: Fr. Jerome Henson came to Mater Dei after he was caught in a cemetery orally copulating a boy. He was at Mater Dei from approximately 1986-1987.
• Thomas Hodgman – 1986-1989: Former choir director Thomas Hodgman was allowed to quietly resign from his position at Mater Dei after he admitted to sexually abusing at least two students. One of the students used him for sexual abuse in 2003. He taught at Mater Dei from 1986-1989.
• Bernie Balsis – 1980s-90s: A former disciplinary dean and academic counselor, Balsis has been accused of sexual abuse by numerous students. When students complained about abuse, school officials demoted Balsis, instead of reporting him to the police and informing the community. Balsis was at Mater Dei from the early 1980s until the late 1990s.
• Patrick Callahan – 1980s-90s: A former football and track coach, Callahan is the subject of an active sexual abuse lawsuit. The case scheduled to go to trial next year.
• Jeff Andrade – 1990s: In 2007, basketball coach Jeff Andrade was sued for sexually abusing a 15-year-old student for more than a year. Although he was fired, Andrade was allowed back onto campus by his former boss, head coach Gary McKnight. Andrade admitted to abusing the girl in a sworn deposition. McKnight was never punished for allowing Andrade back on campus. Earlier this year, despite McKnight knowing about abuse and covering it up, the school renamed the basketball court after him. Andrade worked at Mater Dei throughout the 1990s.
• Larry Stukenhotlz – 1990s: A former choir director, Stukenholtz was sued in 2007 for the sexual abuse of one of his students. He taught at Mater Dei in the 1990s.
• Gustave (Gus) Krumm, OFM – 1996-1997: Fr. Gus Krumm worked at Mater Dei and acted in the place of principal Steve Sallot, who was on sick leave. This was after Krumm had been accused of sexually abusing boys at St. Anthony’s Seminary High School in Santa Barbara, under the guise of “medical examinations.” He worked at Mater Dei in 1996-1997.
• John Merino – 1957-2002: Former vice principal John Merino was sued for the sexual abuse of a student in 2003. Merino worked at the school from 1957 until 2002.

While we believe there are more predators who have yet to be exposed, we do know this: we only know about these predators because of brave survivors who took the significant step of coming forward and reporting these abusers.