Father John Sutton
Diocese of Paterson
Ordained: 1970
Died: 2000
Assigned as follows:
- St. Andrew (Clifton, NJ)
- St. Agnes (Paterson, NJ)
- St. Joseph Hospital (Wayne, NJ)
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Swartswood, NJ)
- St. Patrick (Chatham, NJ)
- Saint Joan of Arc (Boca Raton, FL)
- Sacred Heart (Lake Worth, FL)
- Excardinated/Incardinated Diocese of Palm Beach
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father John Sutton:
Fr. Sutton’s name first appeared publicly on the Diocese of Paterson’s list of accused priests published in February 2019. The Diocese of Paterson released almost no information on the allegations against each priest, including the age/gender of the victims, or the priest’s assignment at the time of the alleged abuse. However, according to the Bishop of Paterson, in the case of each priest on the list, “the Diocese of Paterson received information concerning possible misconduct by the individual, investigated the matter for corroborating evidence, and determined that the report was credible. Accordingly, while those individuals may deny having engaged in illegal behavior involving a minor and they are entitled to be presumed innocent in a criminal court of law, the Diocese has determined that the information it received was credible and it has thus included their names on this disclosure.”
According to media reports, in 2005, officials from the Diocese of Paterson were informed of an abuse allegation against Sutton. The victim told investigators he had been abused as a minor, by Sutton in the 1970s. Following the allegation, Sutton was placed on a leave of absence from the Diocese of Paterson, according to the Diocese’s lawyers. It is unclear if he was sent to one of the many notorious treatment centers for pedophile priests that continue to operate.
In 1994, Sutton went to work in the Diocese of Palm Beach in Florida, eventually incardinating there in 2000.
The Diocese of Paterson says it investigated the abuse claim in 2005 and found the accusation to be credible after an internal review.
Sutton died in August 2000 as a priest in good standing with the Diocese of Palm Beach.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Paterson. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Paterson, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Paterson now have legal options to recover damages due to a compensation fund created for victims. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an email to [email protected] to discuss your options today.