Father William Gleeson
Ordained: 1966
Died: 2018
Assigned as follows:
- 1967-1968: St. Mary's (Montrose, CO)
- 1969-1970: St. Pius X (Pueblo, CO)
- 1971-1980: St. Mary (Las Animas, CO)
- 1981-1985: St. Mary Church (Walsenburg, CO)
- 1986-1995: Christ the King Church (Pueblo, CO)
- 1996-2001 St. Joseph Church (Capulin, CO)
- 2002-2012: Sacred Heart Church (Alamosa, CO)
- 2008-2012: St. Joseph (Pueblo, CO); St. Therese (Pueblo, CO)
- 2013-2016: Unknown
- 2017-2021: Sacred Heart (Avondale, CO)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Fr. William Gleeson:
Fr. William Gleeson was ordained a priest in 1966, and served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of Pueblo. According to media reports, in October 2019, the Colorado Attorney General released a detailed report of a special investigation into the handling of child sexual abuse allegations by Colorado's three Catholic dioceses. For the first time, Fr. Gleeson was publicly identified as a priest with a documented report of sexual abuse.
According to the documents reviewed by the investigators, Gleeson is accused of molesting a 13 year old altar boy at St. Pius X in Pueblo in approximately 1969. The victim reported to the Diocese of Pueblo that Gleeson brought him into the priest's bedroom at the rectory after getting him drunk. He awoke in the middle of the night and Gleeson was on top of him, masturbating the child as he stimulated himself.
Gleeson denied the allegation when it was made in 1993. He was sent for two psychological evaluations and continued in ministry unrestricted because the Diocese concluded that the allegation was "inconclusive." This finding was made after months of investigation and 26 witness interviews. However, absent a confession from Gleeson, the Diocese of Pueblo's protocols required the Bishop to find that the victim failed to meet the burden of proof to establish that abuse happened.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Pueblo in Colorado. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Colorado, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Pueblo now have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Colorado and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your options today.