Father Robert Shurtleff
Diocese of Ogdensburg
Ordained: 1970
Removed: 2002
Assigned as Follows:
- 1971-1974: St. Mary Church (Potsdam, NY)
- 1975: St. Bernard Church (Saranac Lake, NY)
- 1976-1980: Special Assignment (Potsdam, NY)
- 1981-1989: Special Assignment, Clarkson College (Potsdam, NY)
- 1990: St. Mary Church (Potsdam, NY)
- 1991: Holy Name of Jesus Church (Tupper Lake, NY)
- 1992-1996: Holy Name of Jesus Church (Tupper Lake, NY); Sunmount Developmental Center for Mentally Handicapped (Tupper Lake, NY)
- 1997-2000: Holy Name of Jesus Church (Tupper Lake, NY)
- 2001-2002: St. Mary of Clayton Church (Clayton, NY); St. John the Evangelist Church (Lafargeville, NY)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Robert Shurtleff:
According to media reports, in June 2002, Father Robert Shurtleff and three other priests were removed from their assignments as a result of a zero tolerance policy from Dallas Bishops’ conference. Father Shurtleff was working at Holy Name Church in Tupper Lake at the time. The Diocese of Ogdensburg released a statement saying that all four priests had substantiated sexual abuse allegations against them.
Furthermore, all four of the priests had also been through some form of therapy in the past for their “problems.” No other information has been released about the number of alleged victims or the time-frame of the alleged abuse.
In November 2018, Robert Shurtleff’s name appeared on the updated Diocese of Ogdensburg’s list of credibly accused priests. In August 2019, he was named in a lawsuit filed under the NY Child Victims Act alleging that he repeatedly sexually abused a child.
His current whereabouts are unknown.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Ogdensburg in New York. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused as a child in New York State, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Ogdensburg 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 New York and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.