Fr. Patrick Gleeson – Diocese of Santa Rosa

| Dec 19, 2020 | Abuser Profiles, Catholic Church

Father Patrick Gleeson

Diocese of Santa Rosa

Ordained: 1943

Retired: 1989

Died: 1991

Assignment History:

  • 1948-1950: Sacred Heart of Jesus Church (Sacramento, CA))
  • 1951-1967: Our Lady of the Redwoods (Garberville, CA)
  • 1967-1975: Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Calistoga, CA)
  • 1976-1984: St. Apollinaris (Napa, CA)
  • 1985-1991: St. Joseph’s Church (Cotati, CA)

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Patrick Gleeson:

Fr. Patrick Gleeson was ordained a priest in 1943 who served in multiple parishes including in the Diocese of Santa Rosa. According to media reports, in 2002, he was named in a lawsuit alleging that he repeatedly sexually abused a boy from 1968-1972, when Gleeson was serving at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Calistoga, CA. In 2003, several claims regarding child sexual abuse perpetrated by the clergy of the Diocese of Santa Rosa were filed together. One of the plaintiffs alleged that Fr. Gleeson also abused him in the mid-1960s, while Gleeson was serving in Calistoga, CA. Other claims in the suit included allegations of abuse by Gleeson, as well. These claims were settled for $7.3 million in 2005.

In 2019, another lawsuit was filed by three men claiming Fr. Gleeson sexually abused them when they were altar boys in the 60s and 70s. According to the suit, one victim was abused from age 14-17 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Calistoga and in Las Vegas. The second victim was abused from age 10-16 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Calistoga, St. Apollinaris in Napa, and in San Francisco. The third victim was also abused from age 10-17 at the Our Lady of the Redwoods.

Fr. Gleeson was named on the Santa Rosa Diocese’s “credibly accused” 2019 list of clergy credibly accused of child sexual abuse.

Fr. Gleeson died in 1991 at the age of 66.

Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa now have legal options due to a voluntary compensation fund created by the Diocese of Santa Rosa, 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.