Bernard Joseph Topel

Bernard Joseph Topel (March 31, 1903 – October 22, 1986) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Spokane in Washington State from 1955 to 1978.

Biography

Early life Topel was born on March 31, 1903, in Bozeman, Montana, the fourth son of Henry Albert and Mary Pauline (née Hagen) Topel. Henry Topel was a tailor who had immigrated from Germany in 1878. Mary Topel immigrated from Switzerland at age nine. Bernard Topel attended grade school in Bozeman and, after graduating from St. Charles High School in Helena, studied at Mount St. Charles College in Helena, Montana. After his ordination, he went to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to earn a master's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. Topel then went to the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, where he earned a doctorate. At that time, Topel sent O'Donnell away for therapy. Upon his return, Topel reassigned him to a new parish where he abused more boys. Topel did not notify authorities or parishioners about O'Donnell. O'Donnell would not be exposed and suspended from the priesthood until 1986, by which time he had been assigned to several parishes.