Fr. Gary Carr Accused of Sexual Misconduct in Missouri
Posted on: January 20, 2021 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
In April, the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau issued a press release stating that an allegation of physical/sexual misconduct against Father Gary Carr met the criteria for publication. In July, the diocese issued a second release finding that three more allegations against Carr also passed the threshold for publication. All four allegations were made by men who claim that Fr. Carr made inappropriate physical/sexual contact with them when they were boys.
Each of the allegations was reviewed by the Diocesan Safe Environment Review Board to determine whether or not it met the prevailing standard of “Semblance of Truth”. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops defines this standard as an allegation that “is not manifestly false or frivolous.” Since each allegation was found to have met this standard, the diocese made them public.
The Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau did notify local county prosecutors of the allegations for possible criminal charges. However, Father Carr has yet to be charged criminally.
In each allegation, a male has accused Father Carr of physical/sexual misconduct. The allegations against Father Carr include:
- Accused of sexually abusing a boy, now an adult, who at the time of the misconduct was between 10 to 13 years old. (Stoddard County, MO)
- Accused by two different males of inappropriate physical/sexual misconduct in the late 1990’s. (Butler County, MO)
- Accused of inappropriate physical/sexual misconduct in the late 1987. (Jasper County, MO)
While these particular allegations of abuse occurred in Missouri, Father Carr served outside the state as well. The concern is that other incidents of physical/sexual misconduct could have occurred elsewhere. The diocese provided the following list of Father Carr’s pastoral appointments:
- 1981— Deacon, St. Mary Parish, Joplin
- Dec. 1982 — Associate Pastor, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Springfield
- Dec. 1983 — Leave of Absence, reasons of health
- Aug. 1985 —Part-time Associate Pastor, St. Mary Parish, Joplin; Full-time Teacher, Joplin Area Catholic Schools
- Feb. 1987 — Associate Pastor, Sacred Heart Parish, Webb City; Full-time Teacher, St. Peter Middle School, Joplin
- Aug. 1987 — Pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Advance; St. Anthony Mission Church, Glennon, MO
- Aug. 1988 — Leave of Absence, reasons of health
- Aug. 1989 — Pastor, St. Teresa Parish, Glennonville; St. Ann Parish, Malden
- June 1990 — Leave of Absence, reasons of health
- Aug. 1991 — Priest in Residence, Sacred Heart Parish, Poplar Bluff; Full-time Teacher, Sacred Heart Catholic School, Poplar Bluff
- Aug. 1993 — Priest in Residence and Director of Religious Education (DRE), St. Henry Parish, Charleston, MO; Principal, St. Henry Catholic School, Charleston
- Aug. 1996 — Pastor, St. Mark Parish, Houston, MO; St. John the Baptist Mission Church, Licking; St. Vincent de Paul Mission Church, Roby
- Aug. 1997 — Principal, Holy Name Catholic School, Ketchikan, Alaska
- Aug. 1999 — Pastor, St. Mary Parish, West Plains; Sacred Heart Mission Church, Thayer; Principal, of St. Mary Catholic School, West Plains
- Aug. 2001 — Pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Billings; Principal, St. Lawrence Catholic School, Monett
- Aug. 2004 — Leave of Absence, reasons of health, resided in Springfield
- Aug. 2005 — Health leave, Flagstaff, AZ; Sacramental Assistance within the Diocese of Phoenix
- Jan. 2006 — Health leave, Floyd, NM; Sacramental Assistance within the Archdiocese of Santa Fe (Albuquerque, Clovis)
- July 2008 — Pastoral work/Supply priest with the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, St. Francis de Sales Oratory: Traditional Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) and sacraments
- Dec. 2008 — Restricted in ministry, no priestly faculties
- Nov. 2019 — Retired
- 1981— Deacon, St. Mary Parish, Joplin
The press releases from the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau can be viewed here; April press release, July Press Release
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