Second allegation of sexual abuse of minor made against deceased local priest

A second allegation of sexual abuse of a minor has been made against a priest who spent time in Southeast Missouri.

According to a news release from the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, a second allegation was made against William E. Donovan that occurred between 1968 and 1972. Donovan, who died Feb. 9, 1975, is already listed as a clergy against whom prior allegations of the abuse of a minor occurred.

Civil authorities have been notified of the allegation following procedures outlined in diocesan Safe Environment Policies, the release stated.

Donovan was born in 1930 in Rome, New York, and was ordained a priest in 1955 in St. Louis for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau was formed in 1956 from territory that was part of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the Diocese of Kansas City prior to 1956.

Donovan was the assistant pastor at Guardian Angel Parish in Oran, Missouri, from 1955 to 1958 and the assistant pastor at St. Mary of the Annunciation Cathedral in Cape Girardeau from 1958 to 1960. He was the area director of Catholic scouting in Cape Girardeau from 1960 to 1962 before becoming the pastor at St. John Valley Parish in Mountain View, Missouri, and chaplain of Mountain View Memorial Hospital in 1962.

In 1963, he became the area director of Catholic scouting in West Plains, Missouri, before taking over as pastor of the St. Ann Parish in Malden, Missouri, and the St. Margaret Mary Mission Church in Neelyville, Missouri, in 1966. In 1968, he became pastor of the St. Teresa Parish in Glennonville, Missouri, and Sacred Heart Mission Church in Wilhelmina, Missouri.