Father Charles Woodrich
Archdiocese of Denver
Ordained: 1953
Died: 1991
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Charles Woodrich:
Father Charles Woodrich was ordained a priest in 1953, and served in multiple parishes in the Archdiocese of Denver. According to media reports, in December 2020, the Attorney General’s Office released a supplemental report of the allegations made in the Colorado Dioceses’ voluntary compensation fund. According to the report, Fr. Charles Woodrich, better known as Father Woody, was one of the newly identified priests who served in the Denver Archdiocese.
Among the allegations documented in the files of the Archdiocese of Denver was one against a priest, Fr. Charles Woodrich.
According to media reports, Woodrich was a longtime advocate for the poor.
Victim #1
According to the report, Woodrich was the subject of a report that he was engaging in ‘grooming’ behavior with a catechism student and altar server by befriending his family and him; having the boy perform chores around the parish, and Woodrich’s residence in which he would pay the boy. Woodrich served as the Pastor at Holy Ghost Parish in Denver, Colorado when he abused Victim #1.
Woodrich sexually abused the victim from 1983-1989 when the boy was approximately 12-18 years old. He encouraged the boy to drink alcohol and would touch his legs, back, shoulder, and in 1984, Woodrich progressed with Victim #1, resulting in physical sexual abuse.
Most of the abuse occurred at Woodrich’s home. He continued to sexually abuse Victim #1 once or twice a month up until the next 6 years.
When the report was received through the IRRP in 2020, the Denver Archdiocese reported the abuse to law enforcement and initiated an independent investigation.
Victim #2
Woodrich sexually abused a 15-year-old parishioner in approximately 1976. First, he got close to the teenage boy and his family. Then, Woodrich invited Victim #2 to Woodrich’s assigned residence at Holy Ghost Parish in Denver, Colorado.
Victim #2 went to Woodrich’s residence to have dinner and spend the night and woke up to only wearing his underwear.
According to the report, Woodrich was serving as a visiting priest at Our Lady of the Mountains Parish in Estes Park and assigned as the Pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Denver, Colorado when he abused Victim #2.
When the report was received through the IRRP in 2019, the Denver Archdiocese reported the abuse to law enforcement and initiated an independent investigation.
Victim #3
Woodrich sexually abused a teenage boy who was approximately 15-16 years old in 1978. First, he got to know the altar server at Our Lady of the Mountains Parish in Estes Park in Denver, Colorado and developed his trust. Then, Woodrich invited Victim #2 to Woodrich’s assigned residence at Holy Ghost Parish in Denver, Colorado.
Woodrich had the teenage boy consume alcohol to the point where he was sick and Victim #3 woke up in Woodrich’s residence only in his underwear.
According to the report, Woodrich was serving as a visiting priest at Our Lady of the Mountains Parish in Estes Park and assigned as the Pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Denver, Colorado when he abused Victim #3.
When the report was received through the IRRP in 2020, the Denver Archdiocese reported the abuse to law enforcement and initiated an independent investigation.
Woodrich died in 1991.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of Denver in Colorado. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Colorado, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of Denver 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 Colorado and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.