Father Basil Peter Congro
Diocese of Rockville Centre
Ordained: 1978
Removed: 2002
Assigned as follows:
- 1978-1979 St. John Cathedral (Fresno, CA)
- 1979-1981 Christ the King (Commack, NY)
- 1981-1983 St. Mary’s (East Islip, NY)
- 1984-1994 Military Chaplain
- 1994-1997 St. Mary’s (Yonges Island, SC)
- 1997-1999 St. Anthony’s All Souls’ Memorial (Florence, SC)
- 1999-2001 Our Lady of Mercy (Charleston, SC)
- 1999-2002 St. Patrick (Charleston, SC)
- 2002-2008 Jesus Our Risen Savior (Spartanburg, SC)
- 2009-2012 Absent on Leave
- Unknown St. Frederick’s; St. Stephen’s (Edisto Island, SC)
- 2013-2019 Unknown
Summary of Abuse Allegations Against Father Basil Peter Congro:
Father Basil Peter Congro worked at various parishes in California, South Carolina, and New York. He was excardinated from the Diocese of Rockville Centre to the Diocese of Fresno where he was a Navy chaplain from 1983 to 1994, and then excardinated to the Diocese of Charleston.
According to media reports, in April 2003, Father Congro was accused in a civil lawsuit of groping and sodomizing a 15-year-old boy from 1980 to 1983, while he worked at St. Mary’s in East Islip, New York. The alleged abuse took place various locations including in the church rectory, the confessional, and in gay bars.
In June 2002, the Diocese of Charleston learned of the allegations against Father Congro and deemed them credible. In September 2002, he was placed on administrative leave. Bishop Robert Baker wrote a letter in April 2003, alerting priests of the allegations.
In March 2019, Father Congro’s name was included in the Diocese of Charleston’s list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors. His current whereabouts are unknown.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in New York, contact our office today. In October 2020, the Rockville Centre Diocese filed for federal bankruptcy protection. The Court will resolve all claims of sexual abuse in this process but strict filing deadlines will apply and no late claims will be considered, so contact us today. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in New York and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.