Father John G. Pisarcik
Diocese of Paterson
Ordained: 1970
Removed: 1991
Assigned as follows:
- Morris Catholic High School (Denville, NJ)
- St. Pius X (Montville, NJ)
- St. Cecelia (Rockaway, NJ)
- Neumann Prep Wayne, NJ)
- Christ the King Seminary (E. Aurora, NY)
- Bayley-Ellard High School (Madison, NJ)
- St. Francis Health Resort Complex (Denville, NJ)
- Sacred Heart (Rockaway, NJ)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father John G Pisarcik:
According to media reports, in October 1991, Fr. John G Pisarcik was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. As pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church since 1986, Pisarcik sexually molested two young boys under the age of 13, several times from 1989-1991. The acts took place on the church grounds in Rockaway.
In October 1992, Pisarcik admitted to the abuse allegations and pled guilty. The judge imposed the sentence after hearing the priest apologize for his misconduct and listening to statements issued on behalf of the victims and their families. “I accept full responsibility,” Pisarcik said, admitting he “violated a sacred trust. I could have been a positive role model, but I wasn’t. I have to live with that”.
In January 1993, Pisarcik was sentenced to five years at Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Avenel. In 1994, two civil suits were filed on behalf of the victims.
In December 1995, he was released from the prison treatment facility after serving only three years. Parole officials justified the early release to the work credits he earned at the facility. He was immediately released to a notorious church-run treatment program in New Mexico that caters to priests with psycho-sexual problems.
Pisarcik’s name was included on the Diocese of Paterson’s February 2019 list of credibly accused priests, which also states that he was removed in 1991 and has been the subject of “multiple” allegations, though the Diocese did not specify how many.
Since his release from prison, Pisarcik has authored five books, all relating to faith and religion. In his biography, he continues to refer to himself as a priest. There is no evidence he has been laicized or otherwise removed from the priesthood and may well be drawing retirement benefits from the Diocese of Paterson.
As of August 2023, John Pisarcik is Tier 2 registered sex offender living in Grovetown, Georgia.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Paterson. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Paterson, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Paterson now have legal options to recover damages due to a compensation fund created for victims. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an email to [email protected] to discuss your options today.