In August, Father Dave Glockner of the Glenmary Home Missioners in Fairfield was ordered back from his ministerial work in Lewis County following the accusations. Officials with the Diocese of Covington released a statement at the time saying they received reports “that Father Glockner had ‘inappropriately touched two high school students, both minors, while working on a service project in Lewis County.’”
Glockner, 84, first joined the Catholic religious society headquartered in Fairfield in 1962.
John Stegeman, spokesman for the Glenmary Home Missioners in Fairfield, said that “Glenmary fully cooperated with the authorities during the related investigation and informed the local law enforcement authority of the allegations against Father Glockner shortly after receiving them.
With the investigation of civil authorities concluded, Glenmary, based on its own policies and procedures, will commission an investigation by an independent party, he said.
“When completed the result of the investigation will be communicated to the President of Glenmary, who will in turn share the result of the investigation with Glenmary’s Review Board. The Review Board will advise Glenmary’s Executive Council on whether or not they find the allegations to be credible.
According to a statement in August by Laura Keener, spokeswoman for the Diocese, Glockner “has served the pastoral needs of Holy Redeemer Parish in Vanceburg, Kentucky as sacramental minister and parochial administrator,” since 2012.
“In those seven years, there have not been any allegations of inappropriate behavior against Father Glockner,” wrote Keener.
The decision by officials at the Fairfield missionary center comes while another area priest remains in jail fighting to lower his bond as he awaits trial on charges of raping an altar boy.
Former Butler County Pastor Geoffrey Drew, who for nine years led the St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in Liberty Township, appeared before a Hamilton County judge earlier this month in an appeal to lower his $5 million bond to $100,000.
Drew’s attorney asked Judge Leslie Ghiz to lower Drew’s bond, arguing that Drew did not leave the county when the St. Ignatius investigation began. He also said Drew has no criminal history, according to reporting by the Journal-News’ media partner WCPO-TV.
A 41-year-old man, who remains anonymous, has accused Rev. Drew, the ex-pastor of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Hamilton County, of sexually assaulting him between 1988 and 1991 while Drew was the music minister at St. Jude School in Green Twp. in Hamilton County.
Prosecutors said Drew had been arranging a move out of Hamilton County during the time of his arrest and told the judge the investigation into Drew’s behavior is ongoing.
Judge Ghiz said she will review the case and make a final decision about Drew’s bond on Oct. 9.
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