Father Alfonso Madrid
Archdiocese of New Orleans
Ordained: 1950
Death: 1982
Settlement with Victim: 2013
Assignment History:
- 1954-1959: St. Ignatius of Loyola (El Paso, TX)
- 1959-1960: Escuela Pereyra (Torreon, Mexico)
- 1960-1961: Jesuit High School (New Orleans, LA)
- 1961-1966: San Felipe de Neri (Albuquerque, NM)
- 1961-1966: Mission in Los Duranes, Albuquerque, NM
- 1966-1970: Our Lady of Guadalupe (San Antonio, TX)
- 1970-1982: Sacred Heart (El Paso, TX)
Summary of Sexual Assault Abuse against Father Alfonso Madrid
In December 2018, the Jesuits U.S. Central and Southern Province publicly named Fr. Alfonso Madrid on its list of Jesuits with credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. While the Jesuits have not stated any additional details about the scope and nature of the abuse, they have deemed the allegations credible.
A credible allegation exists if the “provincial believes, with moral certitude, after careful investigation and review by professionals that an incident of sexual abuse of a minor or a vulnerable adult occurred . . . with the possibility that it did not occur being highly unlikely,” according to the Jesuits’ website.
The Jesuits list does not refer to any specific allegation, but it’s known through lawsuits and reports that Fr. Madrid has allegedly abused numerous minors throughout his service.
1968 Allegation: Our Lady of Guadalupe in San Antonio, Texas
In 1968, it was reported that Fr. Madrid had inappropriate contact with a nine-year-old boy while at Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is unclear if any action was taken in response to the allegation, but it has become apparent that a pattern of misconduct existed.
In 2014, the Archdiocese of San Antonio revealed that five additional survivors alleged Fr. Madrid abused them in the late 1960s. The archdiocese has since deemed the allegations credible.
According to reports, Our Lady of Guadalupe had a school of around 270 students during the late 1960s.
2011 Lawsuit: Sacred Heart in El Paso, Texas
In 2011, a man (the Plaintiff) filed a lawsuit against the El Paso Diocese, alleging Fr. Alfonso Madrid molested him in the 1970s. Fr. Madrid “sexually abused [the Plaintiff] . . . for a period of approximately five years, beginning when [the Plaintiff] was 8 years old,” the complaint reads.
Furthermore, the Plaintiff argued that Fr. Madrid had mental health challenges the church knew about when they continued to place him in parishes throughout Texas and Louisiana. The mental health challenges were documented by church officials in records given to the Plaintiff, a news report says.
Ultimately, the lawsuit was settled on July 11, 2013. Details about the settlement amount are not publicly available.
2013 Lawsuit: Sacred Heart Church in El Paso, Texas
Shortly after the 2011 lawsuit was settled, another victim filed suit. According to the victim’s lawyer, “this [victim] was eight years old when he was sexually abused by [Fr.] Madrid at Sacred Heart Church in the El Paso Diocese.”
Until 1973, Sacred Heart had a school that enrolled more than 70 boys and 68 girls.
Fr. Alfonso Madrid’s Career
Ordained in 1950, Fr. Alfonso Madrid served for approximately 32 years. Throughout his career, Fr. Madrid worked at schools and churches. One of his first documented assignments was St. Ignatius of Loyola, which had nearly 700 students enrolled.
According to sources Fr. Madrid also served at Jesuit High School in the early 1960s, where nearly 1,000 all-male students were enrolled. Fr. Madrid’s last assignment was at Sacred Heart in El Paso; it had a school until 1973.
Fr. Alfonso Madrid died of natural causes in 1982.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Louisiana, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Alexandria may 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 Louisiana and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.