Credibly Accused

Search lists of U.S. Catholic clergy that have been deemed credibly accused of sexual abuse or misconduct.

Published Jan. 28, 2020

This database was last updated in January 2020 and should only be used as a historical snapshot of the lists published by dioceses and religious orders. There may be changes to those records that are not reflected here.

If you find an error in the data or would like to suggest changes, contact us.

Diocese of Owensboro, Kentucky

Joseph Pilger

Status: Deceased (2003)

Appeared under the heading: “This section contains the names of priests either from another diocese or from a religious order who at one time served in the Diocese of Owensboro and against whom was made at least one substantiated allegation of the sexual abuse of a minor occurring within the Diocese.”

Birth Year: Not reported

Ordination year: 1955

Reported assignment history:

1963: St. William, Knottsville
1964 – 8/30/65: St. Ann, Morganfield
8/30/65 – 1966: Sts. Joseph & Paul, Owensboro
February 1967: St. Jerome, Fancy Farm
August 1967: Immaculate Conception, Earlington
8/67 – 1/69: Holy Name, Henderson
1/69 – 11/27/71: St. Francis Borgia in Sturgis, St. Ambrose in Henshaw and St. William in Marion
12/9/72 – 6/29/76: Cathedral in Owensboro

If you find an error in the data or would like to suggest changes, contact us.

Sources: U.S Catholic dioceses and religious orders, ProPublica reporting, Pontifical Yearbook (2019)

Data entry by: Tatyana Bellamy-Walker, Grace Haley, Samantha Maldonado, Spencer Norris, Anna Pouza, Lilia Saul

You can download this complete dataset at the ProPublica Data Store.