Father Leonardo Mateo
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Ordained: 1956
Died: 2004
Assignment History:
- 1956-1959: Cathedral (Tagbilaran City, Philippines)
- 1959-1960: St. Vibiana’s; St. Anastasia (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1960-1965: Greenpoint Hospital (Brooklyn, NY)
- 1965-1975: Diocesan Procurator (Diocese of Tagbilaran, Philippines)
- 1976-1977: Unknown
- 1978-1982: Immaculate Conception (Elmhurst, IL)
- 1982-1984: St. Petronille (Glen Ellyn, IL)
- 1984: Diocese of Richmond, VA
- 1985: Hines Veterans’ Hospital (Chicago, IL)
- 1986: Unknown
- 1987-1989: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Waukegan, IL)
- 1990-2003: Unknown
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Leonardo Mateo:
Fr. Leonard Mateo was an extern priest visiting from the Philippines who worked briefly in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. According to the Archdiocese, at least one survivor has come forward alleging child sexual abuse by Fr. Leonardo Mateo in 1959, while serving at St. Anastasia in Los Angeles. Fr. Mateo has been named in at least three child sexual abuse lawsuits. The details of the sexual abuse allegations, including when and where the alleged abuse occurred, or the victim’s age/gender, are unknown.
Fr. Mateo was included in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ 2004 list of priests accused of sexual misconduct involving minors. He was also included in the Diocese of Joliet’s list of priests with credible allegation(s) of sexual abuse of minors. The list reports that two allegations of child sexual abuse were made in 1983 and 1991 against Fr. Mateo, while in Illinois. According to the Diocese, he left in 1984 and later returned to the Archdiocese of Cebu in the 1990s.
Fr. Mateo died in 2004. In 2019, his name was added to the Diocese of Richmond’s list of clergy credibly accused of child sexual abuse, as well as on the Diocese of Joliet Updated List.
In 2014, Fr. Mateo was named in another civil lawsuit alleging child sexual abuse filed by three men filed against the Joliet Diocese, stating that the abuse occurred in the 1980s.
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 in California. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in one of California’s Catholic dioceses, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles now have legal options due to a voluntary compensation fund created by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, 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 California and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.