What I know, so far, about the sexually abusive life of Fr. Robert A Brown.

By Judy Block Jones.

--Brown sexually abused kids while he was a priest in the Columbus diocese, in the early 1940’s.

--Brown sexually abused kids while he was assigned to Our Lady of Mercy parish in Lowell, Ohio in the    late 1940’s ‘til 1951.

--In 1951 Brown was assigned to St Sylvester’s parish in Woodsfield, Ohio.

--Brown sexually abused boys while he was assigned to St Sylvester’s parish during the 1950’s.

--Brown sexually abused boys while he was assigned to St Sylvester’s parish during the late 1960’s.

--Brown and church volunteer, Paul Ditto, sexually abused a minor while he was assigned to St Sylvester’s parish in 1976-1978.

--When Brown retired, and his new house was built on Schumacher Ridge across from Paul Ditto’s house, several parish women cleaned up the rectory after Brown had left.  What they found in that rectory verified that Brown had been sexually abusing boys while he lived there from 1951 to 1985.

--In Aug. 2006, Steubenville diocese announced that Brown and Ditto had sexually abused a minor. During that summer of 2006, the St Sylvester’s rectory was torn down and new grass was planted in it’s place.

--I have very good sources who have confirmed to me, that Fr Brown sexually abused many, many boys in St Sylvester’s rectory. He was well known for having alcohol and over-night parties at the rectory in Woodsfield, and boys were encouraged to attend.

--When I called the Steubenville diocese in 2003, I asked Fr Kurt Kemo if they had ever gotten any complaints of sexual abuse by Fr Robert A Brown of St Sylvesters.  Kurt Kemo told me “NO”.

--I later learned that the Steubenville vicar general, Fr. Kurt Kemo, lied to me; they had indeed received a complaint of abuse during 2001.

--Fr Brown sexually abused boys of varied ages… from the age of around 8 years old, to boys well into their teens.

As for the rectory? “They ought to burn that son of a bitch down.”
By: Judy Jones, SNAP director southeastern Ohio

Voice of the Desert - - Supporting survivors of clergy sexual abuse and examining the cover up, causes, and effects of that abuse in the Roman Catholic Church

Received by email this morning, 10.10.2008, from Judy Jones. Thank you, Judy, for all the good work you are doing.   

I am responding to the story published in the Kansas City Pitch news,”The Ghosts of St. Elizabeth“. Portions of this story are posted (below). The entire article can be viewed on the internet, (The Ghosts of St. Elizabeth: for Kansas City's Catholic Sex-Abuse Victims, This Was a Parish of Pain ). This story about victims who were sexually abused by priests, is very familiar to me. This story personally touched my heart and soul because it is so similar to what happened in Woodsfield, Ohio at St Sylvester’s church, especially the part about the church rectory. From what I know, abuse occurred to boys in the St Sylvester’s rectory as far back as the 1940′s. ... Click HERE for the complete article.

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