Father John R. Butler
Diocese of Trenton
Ordained: 1957 (Diocese of Richmond)
Assigned in New Jersey: 1970-2002
Removed from Ministry: 2002
Assigned as Follows:
- 1957-1958: Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Richmond, VA)
- 1958-1960: St. Mary Star-of-the-Sea (Fort Monroe, VA)
- 1960-1961: St. Peter’s Catholic Church (Richmond, VA)
- 1961-1965: St. Joseph’s (Kings Park, NY)
- 1966: Not indexed in the 1966 Directory
- 1966-1968: On duty outside the diocese of Richmond at an unspecified location
- 1968-1969: Our Lady of the Valley (Petersberg, WV); Our Lady of Grace (Grace, WV)
- 1969-1970: St. Paul’s Catholic Church (Richmond, VA)
- 1970-1974: SS. Philip and James (Phillipsburg, NJ)
- 1974-1975: St. Barnabas Catholic Church (Bayville, NJ)
- 1975-1978: St. Thomas the Apostle School (Old Bridge, NJ)
- 1978-1979: St. Robert Bellarmine (Freehold, NJ)
- 1980: Not indexed in the 1980 Directory
- 1979-1984: St John Vianney (Colonia, NJ) and East Rahway State Prison
- 1985-1986: Not indexed in the 1985 or 1986 Directory
- 1986-2002: St John Vianney (Colonia, NJ)
- 2003: Not indexed in the 2003 Directory
Summary of Abuse Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father John R Butler:
In April 2002, the Diocese of Metuchen (New Jersey) confirmed that Rev. John R Butler, associate pastor of St. John Vianney parish, had to take a leave of absence due to allegations of inappropriate conduct with a minor in the late 1950s. According to media reports, the Diocese of Metuchen said that someone called them with allegations of abuse and had already contacted an attorney’s office in New York. The caller said that he had been calling church officials and making allegations for years, but nobody did anything about it.
According to a grand jury investigation of the Diocese of Rockville Centre (New York), during the time of John R. Butler’s assignments in New York, he sexually molested over a dozen boys.
Despite complaints about Butler that apparently spanned over 35 years, he was simply transferred and continued to work as a priest until 2002, when he retired.
The Diocese of Metuchen has settled one legal claim involving Butler. His name does not appear on the Diocese of Metuchen’s or Diocese of Trenton’s lists of credibly accused priests.
Butler’s whereabouts are unknown, but he is believed to be alive and residing in New Jersey. He is in his late 80s.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Trenton in New Jersey. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in New Jersey, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Trenton 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.