Ex-professor among clergy ‘credibly accused’
A priest that the Catholic Diocese of Memphis says is credibly accused of child abuse was a professor at three Memphis institutions of higher education.
He also assisted in the development of a sex education curriculum for then-memphis City Schools, Commercial Appeal archives show.
The Diocese named James Gilbert, 88, as one of 20 priests credibly accused of child abuse in a list released Friday. The list comes months after promising survivors that the Diocese would release a list of clergy credibly accused of child abuse.
Gilbert joined the faculty at Lemoyne-owen College in the fall of 1970, Commercial Appeal archives show.
He was a professor in the division of education and psychology at Lemoyneowen College. In July 1971, he was named academic dean of the college.
The Commercial Appeal is seeking comment from Lemoyne-owen College and Shelby County Schools, the Memphis school district.
In 1977, Gilbert was part of a Memphis City Schools task force created to recommend a sex education program for the school district, according to Commercial Appeal archives.
School Superintendent John P. Freeman appointed the task force.
Gilbert, then a professor of education at Lemoyne-owen College, was part of the curriculum and instruction committee, along with eight others.
According to the Memphis Diocese’s list, Gilbert was an adjunct professor at Christian Brothers College, now Christian Brothers University.
CBU confirmed Friday that Gilbert was an adjunct professor there in the late 1970s. The college said that it is not aware and does not have any record that anyone on campus was informed of any abuse allegation pertaining to Gilbert prior to or during his time at CBU.
“The sexual abuse of children and young people by anyone, but particularly by clergy and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, is unacceptable,” the CBU statement reads.
The statement continues:
“The ways in which many of these crimes and sins have been covered up and not addressed, have caused much pain, anger, and confusion. CBU, as a Lasallian institution, stands for honesty and transparency and takes the safety of all young people and vulnerable adults very seriously. To this end, CBU works to prevent any instances of abuse and has a zero-tolerance policy regarding such matters.
“It is also the policy of Christian Brothers University to ensure, to the fullest extent possible, that any student, faculty, or staff member who is a victim of sexual misconduct committed on the campus or at a university-sponsored event, shall receive treatment, support, and information, and can be assured that such incidents will be investigated and properly resolved.”
The list also identifies Gilbert as a teacher at State Technical Institute at Memphis. (State Technical Institute at Memphis and Shelby State Community College merged to form Southwest Tennessee Community College on July 1, 2000.)
The Commercial Appeal has reached out to Southwest Community College for comment and details of Gilbert’s employment.
Before joining the staff at Lemoyneowen College in 1970, Gilbert had served one year as superintendent of Mississippi Catholic Schools and was the 1967-68 chairman of the Jackson, Mississippi, chapter of the Mississippi Council on Human Relations, Commercial Appeal archives show.
Gilbert was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1957 and holds a doctorate in education from the University of Mississippi.
The Catholic Diocese of Memphis’ list is predominantly made up of names already included in lists compiled by other dioceses or religious orders along with clergy named publicly by victims. Gilbert is one of three priests credibly determined to have engaged in sexual misconduct before the formation of the Memphis Diocesan Review Board.
“We are heartbroken and deeply saddened for the victims of these crimes and we have been scandalized to learn that some of those in authority ignored the cries from victims or minimized the damage,” wrote the Most Rev. David Talley, bishop of the Diocese of Memphis, in a letter accompanying the list. “...The evils of the past can only be purged through a vigilant process of examination that is transparent to the public. Our response must demonstrate the highest levels of honesty and scrutiny.”
The list from the Catholic Diocese of Memphis comes after 178 other dioceses and orders covering 64.7 million Catholics, according to data gathered by Propublica, have released their own lists of credibly accused clergy.
Efforts to reach Gilbert Friday were unsuccessful.
The information from the Diocese list is below:
James Gilbert
❚ Born: July 11, 1931
❚ Ordained for the Diocese of Natchez (now Jackson): May 25, 1957
❚ Granted dispensations from clerical state: October 10, 1973
❚ Reinstated to clerical state for Diocese of Memphis: July 27, 1978
❚ Suspended: August 13, 1985
❚ Laicised: 2006
❚ Assignments in West Tennessee: Associate Professor of Education at Lemoyne-owen College, Academic Dean of Lemoyne Owen College, Professor of Education at Lemoyne-owen College, Teacher at State Technical Institute, Coordinator of Family Life Ministry for the Diocese of Memphis, Adjunct professor at Christian Brothers College, Blessed Sacrament Parish
Commercial Appeal reporter Katherine Burgess contributed to this story.
Laura Testino covers education and children’s issues for the Commercial Appeal. Reach her at laura.testino@commercialappeal.com or 901-512-3763. Find her on Twitter: @Ldtestino.