Catholic priest Rev Thomas King weighed Notre Dame male students under guise of health concerns

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/31/us/notre-dame-students-abused-by-priest-in-weighing-scheme-report-finds.html

Notre Dame Students Abused by Priest in ‘Weighing Scheme,’ Report Finds
An investigation commissioned by Notre Dame found that the Catholic university could have done more to respond to allegations of sexual misconduct.

A blistering report issued last week accuses the University of Notre Dame of failing to take action against a former priest despite years of alleged sexual misconduct against students while he was a dorm rector and while he worked at nearby Holy Cross College.

The investigation, which was led by the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton at Notre Dame’s request, found that Rev. Thomas King conducted a coercive “weighing scheme” at Notre Dame during the 1980s and 1990s. As part of the scheme, he expressed worry over the health of male students and insisted that they go to a locker room and undress to be weighed.

“Once in the locker room he would direct students to undress fully before they stepped onto a scale,” the report said. “Multiple individuals, some of whom were weighed, were sexually touched or assaulted by Fr. King, both at Notre Dame and after he left.”

The law firm’s 25-page report concluded that Notre Dame, one of the nation’s leading Catholic universities, should have done more to respond to allegations of sexual misconduct in the case of Father King. The report noted that witnesses said they had complained to university employees about him as far back as the 1990s.