Father John Wadeson
Archdiocese of Los Angeles (Society of the Divine Word)
Ordained: 1969
Removed: 2014
Reinstated: 2015
Assigned as follows:
- 1970-1971 Unknown
- 1972-1973 Verbum Dei High School (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1974 St. John the Evangelist (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1975-1980 Unknown
- 1981 Casa Guadalupe (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1982-1983 St. John the Evangelist (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1984-1985 Verbum Dei High School (Los Angeles, CA)
- 1986-2016 Unknown; Archdiocese of San Francisco; Archdiocese of Agana (Guam)
- 2016-2020 Archdiocese of Agana (Guam)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father John Wadeson:
Father John Wadeson was a member of the Society of the Divine Word religious order, who served in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as well as for the Dioceses of New York, Brooklyn, Trenton, NJ and Portland, OR. According to media reports, multiple survivors have come forward alleging child sexual abuse from 1973 to 1977 in Los Angeles. The allegations were deemed credible by church officials, and he was banned from working in L.A. Despite this, in 2000, he moved to Guam where he was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Agana. He worked there as a priest until his removal in 2014, when the Archdiocese of Agana learned of the allegations of his past.
Father Wadeson also worked as a guest priest in 2008 and in 2011, in San Francisco. When the Archdiocese of San Francisco learned of his past allegations, he was removed. In 2015, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles reviewed the claims against him and found them to be unsupported since there was no settlement or conviction. He was reinstated, and both the Archdioceses of Los Angeles and Agana recognize him as a priest in good standing. His name appeared on the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ list of clergy credibly accused of sex abuse of minors. It is believed he is still in active ministry in Guam. Whether he is under restriction or has access to children is unknown.
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