Father Edward Jungquist
Diocese of Erie
Ordained: 1980
Leave of absence: 1990 – 1992
Death: Unknown
Assigned as follows:
- 1980 – 1981: St. Paul’s (Erie, PA)
- 1981 – 1982: Beloved Disciple (Grove City, PA)
- 1982 – 1984: St. Stephen’s (Oil City, PA)
- 1984 – 1989: St. Titus (Titusville, PA)
- 1989 – 1990: Nativity of Our Lord (Titusville, PA)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Fr. Edward Jungquist:
Fr. Edward Jungquist was ordained a priest in 1980, who served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of Erie. According to media reports, in Father Edward W. Jungquist served the Diocese of Erie after his ordination in 1980. Between this time and 1984 Jungquist assisted in parishes across Pennsylvania including Erie, Grove City, and Oil City. The father also took on a five-year commitment to a congregation in Titusville. Jungquist left the Diocese in 1989 to serve in Pensacola, Florida. After this time, church documents hold no record of further assignments for Jungquist. The last known documentation of his whereabouts spotted Jungquist on a Leave of Absence in 1990.
In 1998, Jungquist was the subject of controversy when he authored a letter to the editor of a Tucson newspaper criticizing Pope John Paul II for “cracking down” on dissenters in the Church who advocated for changes, including eliminating the vow of chastity and ordaining women to the priesthood. According to one educated parishioner who responded to the letter with a criticism of Jungquist, he was not listed in the 1998 edition of the Official Catholic Directory, which is supposed to list all active and retired clergy in the country. A call to the Tucson chancery by the parishioner also revealed that there was no priest in the Diocese of Tucson by that name. These are certainly red flags that his removal from ministry was not voluntary, and they merit additional investigation.
Ironically, in 2001, he wrote another letter to the editor of the same Tucson newspaper calling for the criminal prosecution of the bishops who covered up allegations of child sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Boston and nationally.
Jungquist was not identified as an accused priest in the 2018 grand jury report. He was first identified as an accused priest in the Diocese of Erie’s April 2018 list of credibly accused priests. The Diocese of Erie provided no information about the allegation(s) against Jungquist.
The exact details of his alleged misconduct have not been released. According to the Diocese of Erie’s statement regarding priests identified on its list, “Every person named on this list was credibly accused of actions that, in the diocese’s judgment, disqualify that person from working with children. Such actions could include the use of child pornography, furnishing pornography to minors, corruption of minors, violating a child-protection policy, failure to prevent abuse that they knew to be happening, and — in some cases — direct physical sexual abuse or sexual assault of minors. Allegations were corroborated by secular legal proceedings, canon law proceedings, self-admission by the individual, or threshold evidence.”
Initially, the Diocese of Erie told media and the public that Junquist was deceased when it released its list of credibly accused priests in 2018. However, in April 2019, the Diocese of Erie amended that information. According to the Diocese of Erie’s April 2019 statement to media, “Fr. Edward W. Jungquist was thought to be deceased. He is now listed as “whereabouts unknown,” and is forbidden to function as a priest.” It is not clear that was due to allegations of sexual abuse (unlikely since it claims it had no allegations until after his death) or because of his criticism of Pope John Paul II and philosophical differences about celibacy.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Erie. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Pennsylvania, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Erie may have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so please do not delay in reaching out to us.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.