Brother Gregory Atherton
Ordained: 1957
Assignment History:
- 1958-1967: Servite High School (Anaheim, CA)
- 1967-1988: St. Philip Benizi (Fullerton, CA)
- 1989-2018: Unknown
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Brother Gregory Atherton:
Br. Gregory Atherton was ordained a Servite Order priest in 1957, who served in the Diocese of Orange. According to media reports, in 1993, he was sued by three men alleging that Br. Atherton sexually abused them when they were young boys (14-16 years old) at Servite High School in Anaheim, CA, and at St. Philip Benizi, spanning from the 1960s-1980s.
During that time, the survivors claim that Atherton abused them after giving haircuts and after church services, music lessons, and choir practices. They also state in the court files that Atherton would also sexually abuse them in motels during road trips from California to Portland, Utah, and British Columbia. The timeline of his abuse notes that he molested at least one boy every day for two weeks as they traveled to and from Portland's Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, better known as The Grotto, stopping in between at pornographic shops in San Francisco.
According to the Servites, Atherton's behavior was first reported in 1990, when he was sent to Servants of the Paraclete in New Mexico, an institution known for treating priests accused of child sexual abuse. As of 2005, the Diocese of Orange stated that two other survivors came forward and that they had reportedly paid $4,169,325 to settle lawsuits regarding sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by Atherton.
Br. Atherton, who is 90 years old, is currently living in a monastery in an undisclosed location. He fully acknowledged his wrongdoing and apologized to his Servite brothers.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Orange 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 Orange now have legal options due to a temporary change in California 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.
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