Father David Ernst
Archdiocese of Newark
Ordained: 1954
Died: 1988
Assignment History:
- 1954-1969: Holy Spirit/ Our Lady Help of Christians (East Orange, NJ)
- 1969-1976: St. Francis Parish (Ridgefield Park, NJ)
- 1976-1980: St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church (Rutherford, NJ)
- 1980-1982: SS Joseph and Michael Church (Union City, NJ)
- 1982-1988: St. Elizabeth Church (Wyckoff, NJ)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father David Ernst:
Father David Ernst was ordained a priest in 1954 and served in the Archdiocese of Newark. He served in multiple parishes throughout his career. According to media reports, in 2004, the Archdiocese of Newark paid a $1 million dollar settlement to 10 victims of sexual abuse involving nine priests, including Father Ernst.
In February 2019, the Archdiocese of Newark included Father Ernst on its list of credibly accused priests. According to the list, he was the subject of “multiple” credible allegations of abuse, but the Archdiocese did not release any details about the priest’s sexual misconduct, such as the age/gender of his victims, or his assignments at the time of the abuse.
In January 2020, Father Ernst was named in two civil lawsuits filed against the Archdiocese of Newark. The first lawsuit alleged that he abused a boy between 1966 and 1968, while assigned to Our Lady Help of Christians. The second suit was filed by a man who says he was abused by Father Ernst in 1976 at St. Mary in Rutherford.
In January 2021, Father Ernst was accused in another case of sexually abusing a 12-year-old victim at St. Francis Church in Bayonne, NJ, in 1973. He died in 1988, and was a priest in good standing at the time of his death.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of Newark in New Jersey. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused in the Archdiocese of Newark, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of Newark now have legal options, 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 New Jersey and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.