Father John W. Eccleston
Archdiocese of Washington
Ordained: 1955
Died: 2012
Known Assignments (outside Archdiocese of Washington):
- 1961- 1966 Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Staples, Minnesota)
- 1966 – 1971 The Church of St. Edward (Henning, Minnesota)
- 1971 – 1982 Ave Maria Catholic Church (Wheaton, Minnesota)
- 1983 – 2002 St. Francis Convent (Little Falls, Minnesota)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father John W. Eccleston:
Father John W. Eccleston’s name first appeared publicly on the Diocese of St. Cloud’s (Minnesota) list of credibly accused priests published in January 2014. It released almost no information on the allegations against each priest, including age/gender of the victims, or the priest’s assignment at the time of the alleged abuse.
According to media reports, in 1960, sexual misconduct by Father Eccleston was reported to the Archdiocese of Washington. At the time, Father Eccleston had served in the Archdioceses of Washington D.C. and Baltimore, MD. He was sent for evaluation and treatment, according to limited information provided by the Archdiocese of Washington.
In 1962, Father Eccleston was cleared for return to ministry. He was then assigned to the Diocese of St. Cloud, in Minnesota. In 1973, Father Eccleston was incardinated into the Diocese of St. Cloud.
He retired from pastoral ministry in 1982. That same year he was arrested and convicted in Minnesota for sexual abuse of a minor child.
In February 2012, Father Eccleston died.
In October 2018, Father Eccleston’s name appeared on the Archdiocese of Washington’s list of clergy credibly accused of sex abuse of minors.
In March 2019, Father Eccleston’s name also appeared on the Diocese of Charleston’s list of clergy credibly accused of sex abuse of minors. He had been there as a visiting priest.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of Washington. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Washington, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of Washington 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.