Monsignor Rudolph Galindo
Diocese of San Bernardino
Ordained: 1954
Retired: 1986
Removed: 2002
Assigned as follows:
- 1955-1957: St. Edward (Corona, CA)
- 1958: Unknown
- 1959-1968: Our Lady of Guadalupe (Otay, CA)
- 1969-1974: Our Lady of Guadalupe (San Bernardino, CA)
- 1975-1976: Our Lady Church (San Ysidro, CA)
- 1977-1983: St. Joseph Cathedral (San Diego, CA)
- 1984-1986: Our Lady of Guadalupe (Calexico, CA)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Monsignor Rudolph Galindo:
According to media reports, in a 1985 civil lawsuit, Msgr. Rudolph Galindo, was accused of sexually abusing an altar boy at St. Joseph Cathedral in San Diego, California. He denied the accusation, but the Archdiocese settled with the boy’s family for $75,000. Galindo retired the following year in May 1986. He lived in a retirement home in Texas but has since been transferred to an undisclosed psychiatric facility for evaluation.
According to media reports, in 2002, Galindo admitted to sexually abusing three children. They had similar stories of abuse that occurred in the rectory, the office, and Galindo’s living quarters at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and on trips with the priest. One boy was 8 years old when the abuse began and the others were 10 or 11 years old. They served as altar boys together when the abuse began in 1958 and continued for one of the victims until the early 1970s.
Galindo was permanently removed from the ministry.
“I am concerned that there are others who may have been harmed by sexual misconduct on the part of Monsignor Galindo during his various assignments,” Bishop Robert Brom wrote in a letter distributed to parishioners.
Galindo was named in another six civil lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse.
One of his alleged victims stated that going to the police and reporting Galindo’s crimes at the time, simply was not an option for him, nor for many others.
“Back then you didn’t do that against the church or a priest, who was seen as next to God,” he said. “People don’t understand what was going on back then, speaking about sexual abuse was taboo. Today, it’s a different era. “I held this in for so many years, I never said anything to anybody”.
In March 2007, Galindo’s name was included in the Diocese of San Diego’s list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. In October 2010, as part of a settlement with survivors of clergy sexual abuse, the Diocese of San Diego released his personnel file. His current whereabouts are unknown.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of San Bernardino. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in San Bernardino, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of San Bernardino 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.