Carlton County priest listed as 'credibly accused' of sexual abuse

The Diocese of Duluth has added a former Carlton County priest to its list of clergy deemed "credibly accused" of child sexual abuse.

The Rev. David Tushar had served as a priest in Northeastern Minnesota for nearly 35 years when he was placed on leave in July 2019 pending an investigation into allegations of abuse.

The allegations were related to his earlier service as a Holy Cross Father and Catholic school teacher in Niles, Illinois, from 1978-79.

Deacon Kyle Eller, spokesman for the Diocese of Duluth, said there have not been any allegations against Tushar locally.

"He had not been added to the list as we awaited a report from the Holy Cross Fathers, which we have now received, and which found the accusation credible," Eller wrote in an email to the News Tribune on Thursday. "The case now goes to the Vatican."

PREVIOUSLY: Diocese: Carlton priest accused of abuse In a letter to parishioners, Bishop Paul Sirba said the diocese had been notified of a sexual abuse accusation against the Rev. David Tushar, priest at St. Francis Catholic Church in Carlton and Sts. Joseph and Mary Catholic Church in Sawyer.
Tushar, 71, had most recently served as pastor at St. Francis Catholic Church in Carlton and SS. Joseph and Mary Catholic Church in Sawyer. He has been removed from ministry and his clergy privileges have been revoked.

Tushar came to the area in 1985 and was transferred into the Diocese of Duluth in 1988. In that time, he was also assigned to parishes in Grand Rapids, Cohasset, Chisholm, Buhl, Bigfork, Effie, Warba, Duluth and Cloquet.

Tushar, a native of Gilbert, was ordained into the priesthood in 1976.

Tushar is now said to be living in Las Vegas. He could not be reached for comment.

He is the first priest to be formally added to the diocese's list since it reached a $40 million settlement with 125 clergy sex abuse victims to resolve years of litigation and emerge from bankruptcy in October 2019.

The diocese first identified 17 accused priests in December 2013 . It has since added 20 additional names of priests who were subsequently accused or identified by other dioceses or religious orders.