Father Gerald Fessard
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Ordained: 1972
Removed: 2002
Laicized: 2007
Assigned as follows:
- 1973-1975 St. Charles Borromeo (North Hollywood, CA)
- 1976-1977 St. Pius X (Santa Fe Springs, CA)
- 1978-1980 Santa Clara (Oxnard, CA)
- 1978-1980 Santa Clara High School (Oxnard, CA)
- 1980 St. Bernard High School (Playa Del Rey, CA)
- 1981 St. Clement (Santa Monica, CA)
- 1982-1985 St. Eugene (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1985 St. Paul (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1986 St. Martin of Tours (Brentwood, CA)
- 1987 Queen of Angels Seminary (Mission Hills, CA)
- 7-12/1987 Servants of the Paraclete (Jemez Springs, NM)
- 1988 Sick leave Servants of the Paraclete (Jemez Springs, NM)
- 1989 St. Timothy (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1990-1991 Graduate studies (Rome)
- 1992-1994 St. Luke the Evangelist (Temple City, CA)
- 1994 St. Gregory Nazianzen (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1994 St. Luke Institute (Baltimore,MD)
- 1995-2002 Convent of The Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic (Monrovia, CA)
- 2002 Inactive leave
- 2007 Laicized
- 2003-2021 Unknown
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father Gerald Fessard:
Fr. Gerald Fessard was ordained a priest in 1972, who served in multiple parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. According to media reports, in 1987, he was accused of sexually abusing multiple children. While under investigation, he was sent to the Servants of the Paraclete in New Mexico for treatment. He pleaded no contest to battery and assault of students at San Fernando Mission minor seminary. He was put on probation for three years, required to register as a sex offender, and required to undergo counseling. It is believed he may have had the conviction expunged after probation ended.
In 1988, Father Fessard was sent to the Servants of the Paraclete for a second time. In 1994, parishioners complained that he often showed up at youth group meetings, sometimes, drunk. He underwent treatment for alcoholism and was sent for treatment to St. Luke Institute in Maryland.
In 1997, a man reported that Father Fessard sexually abused him in his bed at home when he was eight or nine years old. He is alleged to have abused more than 20 people. He had worked at the Tribunal from 1987 until his removal by the archdiocese in 2002. He was laicized in 2007.
In 2013, Father Fessard’s personnel file was released. He was one of six accused priests assigned to Santa Clara Parish in Oxnard from 1962 to 1996. He was included in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ list of priests accused of child sexual abuse. 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 Archdiocese of Los Angeles. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest or other Catholic clergy in California State, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles and nationwide. We can help.
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