Father Joseph Molloy
Diocese of Paterson
Ordained: 1953
Left priesthood (voluntarily): 1978
Died: 2000
Assigned as follows:
- St. Nicholas (Passaic, NJ)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father Joseph Molloy:
In March 2002, an adult male disclosed to the Diocese of Paterson his experience of being sexually abused as an altar boy by Fr. Joseph Molloy decades earlier.
In 1959, the alleged victim was 11 years old and a sixth-grade student at St. Nicholas grammar school in Passaic, New Jersey. Molloy, the associate pastor, was in charge of altar boys. Molloy allegedly started his sexual exploitation with an attempt to fondle the pre-pubescent boy.
According to the alleged victim, for almost two years, Molloy forced the boy to engage in oral sex, masturbation, and sodomy. Molloy threatened the victim with ex-communication from the Catholic Church. He told the child that no one would believe him if he told anyone and that he (Molloy) held the power to have God love or hate him.
In 1978, Molloy left the priesthood. He married, raised five children, and adopted a Romanian baby in 1990. Additionally, Molloy worked as a child abuse investigator for the State of Florida Department of Children and Families, according to media reports.
Molloy’s name appears on the Diocese of Paterson’s February 2019 list of credibly accused priests. Other than to say that he was the subject of “multiple” credible allegations of sexually abusing children, the Diocese of Paterson released no details, including Molloy’s assignments at the time of the abuse.
Molloy died in 2000.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Paterson. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Paterson, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Paterson 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.