“We invite and implore Archbishop Cordileone to work with survivors to prevent further harm” – Jeff Anderson
“The data tells the tale. The past has only been prologue to the present. There is a pervasive pattern of abuse that is still occurring to this day. We must make dramatic change now to stop this pattern and protect kids.” – Jeff Anderson
(San Francisco, CA)—Today, for the first time, data revealing the history of child sex abuse in the Archdiocese of San Francisco was released to the public. The data includes the initials of accused perpetrators, the names of parishes and schools where abuse occurred, and the dates of abuse. This information illustrates a horrific and tangled web of decades of crimes, cover-up, and deceptive practices that protected predators, some of which continues to this day.
The data has revealed significant revelations about the protection of children in the Archdiocese:
- Significant number of cases. The data reveals there are at least 543 child sex abuse claims pending against the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
- Long history of sex abuse. The claims involve 68 perpetrators who are accused of abusing one or more children, spanning over 60 years.
- Abuse is prevalent across locations. Child sex abuse has occurred in over 80% of parishes in the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
- Prolific institutions. Some parishes and schools have a significant number of abuse claims, including:
- 41 claims occurring at Corpus Christi Parish in San Francisco
- 36 claims occurring at St. Vincent’s School for Boys in San Rafael
- 27 claims occurring at St. Martin of Tours in San Jose
- 14 claims occurring at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose
- 9 claims occurring at Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield
- 9 claims occurring at St. Francis High School in Mountain View
- 6 claims occurring at Cathedral of St. Mary in San Francisco
- Prolific Perpetrators. Multiple clerics are accused of sexually abusing over 10 children during their ministry, including:
- S.B. – 42 claims
- P.O. – 29 claims
- J.P. – 26 claims
- C.D. – 12 claims
- A.P.K. – 11 claims
- Recent Abuse. While the Archdiocese portrays this as an issue of the past, that is not accurate. There are numerous recent cases of abuse. While the number of recent cases is lower than past decades, data shows it takes survivors of abuse decades to come forward. This means, statistically, the number of recent cases will likely grow over time as more survivors come forward.
Decades & Instances of Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of San Francisco
Years
Before 1960
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000 – Present
Instances of Alleged Abuse
3
149
246
107
25
13
Types of Abuse Alleged in Claims
Description of Abuse
Touching Victim’s Genitals
Penetration of Victim’s Anus or Vagina
Oral Copulation of Victim or Perpetrator
Instances in Proofs of Claim
795
237
213
Alleged Perpetrators Identified in Five or More Claims
Alleged Perpetrators Initials
S.B.
P.O.
J.P.
C.D.
A.P.K.
G.M.
G.G.I.
W.F.
P.G.A.
D.C.
D.E.
L.L.
J.L.
F.L.
A.H.
T.B.
G.J.F.
D.G.
Number of Times Identified in Claim Forms
42
29
26
12
11
9
9
7
7
7
6
6
6
6
5
5
5
5
Locations Where the Most Alleged Abuse Occurred
Non-Parish Schools/ Orphanages, Parish, and Parish Schools
Location
Corpus Christi Parish, San Francisco
St. Vincent’s School for Boys, San Rafael
St. Martin of Tours Parish, San Jose
Bellarmine College Preparatory, San Jose
Star of the Sea Parish, San Francisco
St. Patrick Parish (Our Lady of La Vang), San Jose
Holy Name of Jesus Parish, San Francisco
Mission Dolores Basilica, San Francisco
Church of the Epiphany Parish and School, San Francisco
Marin Catholic High School, Kentfield
St. Francis High School, Mountain View
Albertinum Orphan Asylum, Ukiah
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, San Francisco
Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, San Francisco
St. Joseph’s College Seminary, Menlo Park
Number of Claims
41
36
27
14
13
13
12
12
10
9
9
6
6
5
5
BACKGROUND
The release of this data follows recent news in which excerpts of Archbishop Cordileone’s internal documents were released publicly. The meeting minutes revealed that:
- Archbishop Cordileone concealed a list of accused priests from the public despite mounting pressure from survivors and advocates.
- The Archdiocese of San Francisco deems allegations of childhood sexual abuse against priests “unsubstantiated” over 50% of the time.
- Archbishop Cordileone and the Internal Review Board continue to protect predator priests rather than believe survivors.
INVITATION TO RECONCILIATION
“I am extending a hand to Archbishop Cordileone to prevent further harm to children within our communities. It is time to put aside our differences to protect the children. The data makes clear that this cannot be done alone. We must work together to ensure transparency, accountability, and healing for survivors. By working together, we can save children from the harm that has, unfortunately, already been done to so many.” – Jeff Anderson