WATERLOO - Seven Catholic priests who allegedly sexually abused minors within the Archdiocese of Dubuque apparently have been referred to the Vatican for possible action, including defrocking, Dubuque Archbishop Jerome Hanus told the Courier last week.

Hanus would not identify the priests. But the seven cases are equal to the number of living archdiocesan priests against whom credible accusations of sexual abuse have been made.

In a December 2003 report, Hanus said 18 of the 26 archdiocesan priests accused of sexual abuse since 1950 have died. One of the remaining eight, Robert Reiss, was defrocked in 1997. He died in Mexico Feb. 3, the archdiocese reported last week.

None of the seven can represent themselves in public as a priest, Hanus said.

The Vatican may defrock priests - dismissing them from the priesthood - or concur with penalties imposed to date.

The archdiocese investigates the cases before submitting them to the Vatican. Hanus would not confirm whether he has asked that the priests be defrocked.

"Until these canonical procedures are concluded and until any civil or criminal procedures are concluded … revealing details of the different situations can often be traumatic for victims," Hanus wrote in a Feb. 18 report to Catholics in the archdiocese. "Revealing the names of the accused before the legal and canonical steps are completed runs the risk of ruining the reputation of individuals who are innocent."

But the archdiocese previously announced at least two of those seven living priests held assignments in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area and were accused of abuse here.

The Rev. William T. Schwartz is named in three separate civil suits accusing him of sexually abusing teens from the mid-1960s through the early 1980s, including incidents in the 1960s when he was at St. Joseph's Catholic Church here; in the late 1970s when he was at Columbus High School; and in an alleged 1983 incident in Cedar Rapids.

Also, in early 2002, the Rev. Allen Schmitt was removed from Waukon-area parishes after being accused of abusing youths in the 1970s at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Subsequent to his removal, another similar allegation surfaced regarding a earlier assignment at Sacred Heart Church in Waterloo.

Hanus also said the archdiocese reports all allegations of sexual abuse by clergy to civil authorities, even those decades old.

"In trying to keep up with developments, we may have missed one or two, but our policy and practice is to report all," Hanus wrote the Courier. "If a person does not complete the allegation - for example, does not sign the (complaint) report - we do not go forward with reporting it."

Pat Kinney can be contacted at (319) 291-1484 or pat.kinney@wcfcourier.com.