Father Clifford Norman
Diocese of Pueblo
Ordained: 1960
Assigned as follows:
- 1961-1963: Our Lady of Guadalupe (La Junta, CO)
- 1964: St. Mary’s (Walsenburg, CO)
- 1965-1967: St. Michael’s (Delta, CO)
- 1968-1971: Sacred Heart (Avondale, CO)
- 1972: Unknown
- 1973-1974: St. Joseph (Capulin, CO)
- 1975: Leave of Absence – Location Unknown
- 1976-2010: On Duty Outside Diocese – Mexico
- 2011-2021: Unknown
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Fr. Clifford Norman:
Fr. Clifford Norman was ordained a priest in 1960, 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. Clifford Norman was publicly identified as a priest with a documented report of sexual abuse.
According to the documents reviewed by the investigators, Norman sexually abused a 12 year old altar boy at St. William in 1968. At the time of the abuse, Norman was assigned to Sacred Heart parish in Avondale, but was friends with the boy’s family and took him to St. William. The victim says that he was threatened repeatedly by Norman. During an interview about the allegation in 1998, Norman admitted to knowing the victim but denied sexual contact. A Diocese of Pueblo official noted in documents that he did not believe Norman’s denial. However, without a confession by Norman, the Diocese’s protocols required them to find that the allegation was “inconclusive” and took no action against Norman. At the time the allegation was received, Norman was working in an orphanage in Mexico.
The victim met with the Bishop of Pueblo as part of the investigation process, and the Bishop reportedly told the man that he “needed to forgive Norman and asked the victim to consider how tough Norman’s childhood must have been.”
It is unclear from the Report if Norman is still alive, and where he is residing. The Pueblo Diocese has not provided that information to media or the general public.
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 [email protected] to discuss your options today.