Father John Morse
Diocese of San Jose (Jesuits)
Ordained: 1961
Removed: 2006
Dead: 2015
Assignment History:
- 1961-1962: Alma College (Los Gatos, CA)
- 1962-1963: Manresa Hall (Point Townsend, WA)
- 1963-1966: St. Joseph’s (Yakima, WA)
- 1966-1968: St. Mary’s Mission (Omak, WA)
- 1968-1972: Jesuit Missions (Portland, OR)
- 1972-1973: St. Mary’s Mission (Omak, WA)
- 1973-1979: St. Joseph’s (Yakima, WA)
- 1979-1980: Our Lady of Mount Virgin (Italian) (Seattle, WA)
- 1980-1981: St. Stanislaus’ (Lewiston, ID)
- 1981-1982: St. Patrick’s (Granger, WA)
- 1982-1993: St. Stanislaus’ (Lewiston, ID)
- 1993-1995: Jesuit Provincial Office (Portland, OR)
- Unknown: St. Ignatius Mission (St. Ignatius, MT)
- 1994: St. Joseph’s (Yakima, WA)
- 1995-2006: Queen of All Saints (Warden, WA)
- 1998-2006: Presbyterian Council (Yakima, WA)
- 1995-2006: Our Lady of Fatima (Moses Lake, WA)
- 2008-2015: Regis Jesuit Community (Spokane, WA)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father John Morse:
was ordained a priest in 1961, who served
Fr. John Morse was a priest of the Oregon Province, ordained in 1961. He worked in multiple parishes on the west coast, as well as in the Diocese of San Jose. According to media reports, in 2006, Fr. Morse was accused of sexually abusing children, mostly girls and at least 1 boy at St. Mary’s Mission on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington state in the late 1950s-1960s. The children were as young as 5 years-old. Morse denied the allegations.
Other allegations against Fr. Morse from his time at St. Joseph’s in Yakima, Washington, and St. Ignatius Mission in Montana were reported, as well. He was sent to the Jesuit Retirement Community in Spokane, Washington in 2006 and remained there until his death.
In 2007, Fr. Morse’s name was included on the Diocese of Spokane list of admitted, proven, or credibly accused perpetrators of sexual abuse. The Jesuits announced a $4.8M settlement in 2008. By 2011, there were more than 66 individual claims against him.
In 2018, Fr. Morse was also included on the Jesuits West Province list of clergy credibly accused of child sexual abuse. It noted allegations reported in 2006, 2008, 2009 in reference to abuse that took place in 1957, 1958-1959, 1962-1976, 1963-1974, 1966-1973.
Fr. Morse died in 2015.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of San Jose 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 Diocese of San Jose now have legal options due to a temporary change in the law, 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 toll-free at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.