Father Gregory Furjanic
Diocese of Erie
Ordained: 1981
Removed: 1996
Laicized: Unknown
Assigned as follows:
- Kennedy Catholic High School (Hermitage, PA)
- St. Anthony of Padua (Sharon, PA)
- Convent (Erie, PA)
- Croatian Franciscan Friars (Chicago, IL)
- Lutheran Social Services (St. Petersburg, FL)
- St. Catherine of Siena (Mobile, AL)
- St. Monica Parish (Mobile, AL)
- Immaculate Conception (Orrville, AL)
- Sacred Heart (Grove Hill, AL)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Fr. Gregory Furjanic:
Fr. Gregory Furjanic was ordained a priest of the Croatian Franciscan Friars in Chicago, Illinois in 1981, who served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of Erie. He served at St. Anthony of Padua in Sharon, Pennsylvania. At that time, the Diocese of Erie allowed an outside religious order priest to handle the ministry in one of their parishes. Since he was technically not one of their priests, there is very little paperwork on him.
According to media reports, in 2005, an allegation was reported to the Diocese of Erie that Father Furjanic sexually abused a child in the early 1970s. A second incident occurred in the mid-1980s. Records also show that in the 1990s another accusation against Father Furjanic was reported. He was sent to the Erie Ecclesia Center for counseling and then to the St. Luke’s Institute in Maryland for more advanced treatment. In July 1996, the Congregation for Institutions of Consecrated Life and of Societies of Apostolic Life removed him from ministry.
In 2005, an inquiry was made from the Lutheran Social Services in St. Petersburg, Florida to investigate Father Furjanic’ s history. He had allegedly tried to get religious credentials in Mobile, Alabama and in St. Petersburg, but was denied based on his history. According to records, he represented himself as a clergy member associated with Lutheran Ministry and had the title “Reverend” on his business cards.
Father Furjanic was subsequently laicized. His current whereabouts are unknown.
In 2018, he was named publicly as accused in the PA Grand Jury report. The PA Grand Jury investigation learned that one of Father Furjanic’s alleged victims died by suicide. His name appeared publicly on the Diocese of Erie’s 2018 list of clergy credibly accused of sex abuse of minors. In April 2019, his name was included on the Archdiocese of Mobile’s list.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Erie. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Pennsylvania, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Erie may have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so please do not delay in reaching out to us.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.