Alvin L. Campbell
Bishop Joseph McNicholas was warned about Father Alvin Campbell. Even so, he allowed Campbell to enter the Diocese of Springfield and minister at multiple parishes over a course of years, sexually abusing children all along the way.
Campbell served as a chaplain in the United States Army from 1963 to 1977. According to diocesan records, Campbell retired from the military in late 1977 and sought assignment in the Diocese of Springfield. Prior to Campbell’s arrival in the diocese, a senior army chaplain telephoned the diocese regarding Campbell. In a January 1978 memorandum to Bishop McNicholas, a diocesan official explained to the bishop that the army chaplain disclosed in the telephone call that “Campbell has a moral problem with boys/young men and this has surfaced and was being brought against him when he chose to resign. . . . [T]he matter had been handled ‘sub secreto’ through the Military delegate in Germany and there had been no scandal through publicity.”
The January 1978 memorandum to the bishop concluded by noting “some report would be forthcoming” regarding Campbell. Ignoring the unequivocal warning from the United States Army, the bishop named Campbell pastor at Saint Jude in Rochester less than a month later. And in 1979, he was named pastor at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Assumption, an assignment that would be short lived.
Diocesan records show that Campbell began sexually abusing children in Assumption almost immediately. They also confirm that the diocese had notice of the abuse as early as January 1980. Then, in December 1981, a family contacted Bishop McNicholas about Campbell’s “conduct with their daughter.” That same month, a diocesan official communicated with the family to tell them “of the development and handling of this matter—following Father’s complete admission” to the bishop. The official assured the family that Campbell “realizes the harm and his need for help . . . and will leave the parish after the weekend.” The official described Campbell as “remorseful and aware of this wrongdoing, and the effect upon your daughter and family.” Campbell resigned as pastor “for health reasons” eight days later. He did not remain inactive for long. He was assigned to another parish within months.
From 1982 through 1985, Campbell ministered at Saint Maurice in Morrisonville. Diocesan records reflect that Campbell abused 26 children while in Morrisonville. Those same records contain survivors’ descriptions of the abuse Campbell forced upon the children of the diocese—masturbation, group masturbation, photographing abuse acts, groping, oral sex performed on children, anal sex performed on the priest, anal sex performed on children, fondling, kissing, and pornography.
While the diocese sat on its hands regarding Campbell’s child sex abuse, law enforcement was alerted, and in 1985 Campbell was criminally indicted for molesting boys between the ages of 11 and 15. He pleaded guilty, but mentally ill. Campbell was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Diocesan records show that Campbell is reported to have sexually abused 33 children while ministering in the Diocese of Springfield. Each of those children was abused after Bishop McNicholas was warned by the United States Army that Campbell “has a moral problem with boys.” And 26 of them were sexually abused after the diocese received the first report of abuse at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.