Father John Pender
Diocese of Scranton
Ordained: 1962
Left Diocese without permission: 1968
Died: 2009
Assigned as follows:
- 1962: Queen of Peace (Hawley, PA)
- 1962-1966: Sacred Heart (Peckville, PA)
- 1966-1967: St. Leo (Ashley, PA)
- 1967-1968: St. John (Susquehanna, PA)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father John Pender:
Father John Pender was ordained a priest in 1962, who served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of Scranton. According to media reports, in 2018, he was first named publicly as accused in the PA Grand Jury Report.. In 1968, Bishop J. Carroll McCormick ordered Father Pender to report for a psychological exam, but the reason(s) why is not discussed in the report.
Based upon our investigation and the information we have about how the Pennsylvania bishops responded to abuse allegations during that time period, it is entirely possible it related to allegations of sexual misconduct by the priest. However, without seeing the contents of Pender’s personnel file (and secret files), we cannot be certain of that.
Pender failed to report for the evaluation and simply disappeared from the Diocese for some time. Apparently, no attempts were made by the Diocese of Scranton to find him.
According to the grand jury report, “years later” Pender surfaced in the Diocese of Jefferson City (Missouri), where he had been working as a priest without the knowledge or permission of the sitting bishop of Scranton.
In 2014, the Diocese of Scranton received a report from an adult man that he was sexually abused as a child by Pender. The grand jury report does not offer any additional information about the allegation.
Pender’s name appears on the Diocese of Scranton’s 2018 list of credibly accused priests.
He died in 2009.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Scranton. 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 Scranton may 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 Pennsylvania and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.