Father Leo Bonfadini
Ordained: 1974
Assigned as follows:
- 1975: St. Francis Xavier (Pueblo, CO)
- 1976-1977: St. Columba Church (Durango, CO)
- 1978-1979: On Duty Outside the Diocese
- 1980: Our Lady of Guadalupe (Pueblo, CO)
- 1981-1983: Sacred Heart (Pueblo, CO)
- 1984: Special Assignment
- 1985-1995: St. Pius X Church (Pueblo, CO)
- 1996-2012: Absent on Leave
- 2013-2021: Unknown
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Fr. Leo Bonfadini:
Fr. Leo Bonfadini was ordained a priest in 1974, 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. Bonfadini was publicly identified as a priest with at least one documented report of sexual abuse.
According to the documents reviewed by the investigators, in 1994 the Diocese of Pueblo received a report from a man that he was sexually abused by Bonfadini as a 17 year old boy. At the time of the abuse, which occurred in 1979, Bonfadini was an administrator at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Pueblo. When confronted with the allegation, Bonfadini did not deny the abuse, stating only that he had made "regrettable decisions" during the course of his ministry.
After months of investigation, the Diocese of Pueblo determined that the allegation was "inconclusive" because Bonfadini did not admit to the abuse and no one personally witnessed it.
In May 1995, Bonfadini was placed on leave. He was referred to St. Luke's for treatment and counseling. St. Luke's is known to treat clergy accused of sexual abuse. Bonfadini eventually relinquished his faculties and retired. After Bonfadini left the priesthood, he worked as an officer for the U.S. Air Force and as a counselor in the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. In later year, he joined Mr. Carmel Wellness and Community Center, a nonprofit in Trinidad, as a wellness coordinator and pastoral counselor charged with caring for the elderly and starting a children's gardening club.
Leo Bonfadini currently lives in Denver.
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.