Father Patrick John Cotter
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Ordained: 1957
Assignment History:
- 1957: St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church (Maywood, CA)
- 1958-1959: St. Gregory Nazianzen Catholic Church (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1959: St. Pius X Huigh School (Downey, CA)
- 1960: St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church (Maywood, CA)
- 1961: St. Bernard Catholic Church (Bellflower, CA)
- 1962: St. Gertrude Catholic Church (Bell Gardens, CA)
- 1963-1964: St. Joseph Catholic Church and Pomona Catholic High School (Pomona, CA)
- 1965: Holy Family Catholic Church (South Pasadena, CA)
- 1965: St. Eugene Church (Los Angeles, CA) Ireland (6-month leave)
- 1965: St. Vibiana (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1966: St. Vincent’s Hospital (St. Louis, MO) (Patient)
- 1966: St. Vibiana (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1967-1970: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1971: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church (Downey, CA)
- 1972: Absent on sick leave
- 1973-1975: St. Ambrose Catholic Church (West Hollywood, CA)
- 1976: Retired
- 1977-2020: Unknown
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Patrick John Cotter:
Fr. Patrick John Cotter was ordained a priest in 1957, and served in multiple parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. According to media reports, in 2002, he was accused of sexually abusing two victims between 1963-1964 at both Joseph Catholic Church in Pomona, CA, and St. Ambrose Catholic Church in West Hollywood. The claims state that he molested a teenage girl while serving at St. Joseph Church in Pomona, which was reported to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1975. At that time, the Archdiocese’ review board recommended that Cotter retire.
Fr. Cotter was named in a civil lawsuit in 2003. His name was included on the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ 2004 list of priests accused of sexual misconduct involving minors. Fr. Cotter was last known to be living in Pasadena, CA. His status as a priest, current whereabouts, and whether he has access to children 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 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.
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