Father Phil Sunseri
Diocese of San Jose (Jesuits)
Ordained: 1964
Banned: 1988
Assignment History:
- 1973-1975: Jesuit High School (Carmichael, CA)
- 1978-1982: Brophy College Preparatory (Phoenix, AZ)
- 1983-1986: Fordham Prep (Bronx, NY)
- 1987-1988: Holy Family Church (San Jose, CA)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Phil Sunseri:
Fr. Phil Sunseri was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1964 who served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of San Jose. According to media reports, in 2018, he was first named publicly as accused on the Diocese of San Jose list of clergy credibly accused of child sexual abuse.
In 1987 and 2018, allegations were reported that Sunseri sexually abused children in 1986 at St. Christopher Parish, and while he was assigned to the Holy Family Parish. He denied the allegations and dismissed them as a “misunderstanding”. One of the accusers was a 14-year old altar boy who was abused at Holy Family Church in San Jose, California. Sunseri was dismissed and permanently banned from ministry in 1988.
In 2018, Sunseri was included on the Jesuits West Province list of clergy credibly accused of child sexual abuse.
He died in 1991.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of San Jose in California. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in one of California’s Catholic dioceses, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of San Jose now have legal options due to a temporary change in the law, 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 California and nationwide. We can help.
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