Oliver O'Grady
Encyclopedia
Oliver O'Grady is an Irish
former Roman Catholic priest
who rape
d, molested and abused
many children in California
from 1973 onwards. He wrote a letter of confession to parents in 1976 and a copy was given to the Bishop of Stockton at that time.
during the late 1960s. He emigrated to the United States in 1971. He served as a priest at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Lodi, California
from 1971 to 1978. He later served at Church of the Presentation in Stockton, California
, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Turlock, California
, St. Andrew's Parish in San Andreas, California
, and St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Hughson, California
. He claimed to have been himself molested by a priest at the age of 10, and that he was involved in sexual abuse in his own family, both as perpetrator and victim.
30 million in damages to the brothers. A judge later reduced the amount to $7 million. O'Grady was parole
d from prison in 2000 after serving only seven years, and went to Ireland after being deported
from the United States.
In a 2005 videotaped deposition
, O'Grady claimed he abused at least as many as 25 children in and around Northern California
. There have been lawsuits filed accusing O'Grady of abusing children while a seminarian in Ireland.
Deliver Us From Evil
. O'Grady said he wanted the film to serve as the "most honest confession of [his] life." He details how he preyed on children, and claims Church officials knew about his abuses but protected him by moving him from parish to parish. O'Grady confirmed that his bishop knew that there were claims that he had abused children in 1976 and before, and that the diocese responded by transferring him to another parish. The film ends by saying that O'Grady is free in Ireland, but that an American priest is making efforts to see that he and other abusers are monitored.
and the Dublin suburb of Phibsboro
. In October, 2006, it was reported that he had left Ireland possibly for France and "may be en route to Canada". In 2007 the Irish Examiner
reported O'Grady's solicitor claiming O'Grady registered voluntarily with the local Gardaí. In October, 2007, the rented house where he was living in Dundalk was burgled and damaged. In October 2008 it was reported that California-based lawyers were considering offering a reward for information about his whereabouts in Ireland so further civil actions could be pursued against him. In March 2010 he was reported living in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where he volunteered at a Catholic parish, assuming a different identity, calling himself “Brother Francis”. In December 2010 he was arrested in Dublin for possession of child pornography. The victims were as young as two years old. Authorities discovered child pornography photos and videos on O'Grady's laptop, on an external hard drive, and on a USB key. Judge Patrick McMahon remanded O’Grady on continuing bail to appear again on January 28th. As part of his bail conditions O’Grady must sign on twice daily at Dublin's Harcourt Terrace Garda station, and surrendered his passport.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
former Roman Catholic priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
who rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d, molested and abused
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
many children in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
from 1973 onwards. He wrote a letter of confession to parents in 1976 and a copy was given to the Bishop of Stockton at that time.
Early life
Born in Limerick, Ireland, O'Grady was ordained into the priesthood at a seminary in ThurlesThurles
Thurles is a town situated in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...
during the late 1960s. He emigrated to the United States in 1971. He served as a priest at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Lodi, California
Lodi, California
Lodi is a city located in , in the northern portion of California's Central Valley. The population was 62,134 at the 2010 census. The California Department of Finance's population estimate as of January 1, 2011 is 62,473....
from 1971 to 1978. He later served at Church of the Presentation in Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Turlock, California
Turlock, California
Turlock is a city in Stanislaus County, California, United States, part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, Turlock had a population of 80,549, up from 55,810 at the 2000 census, making it the second-largest city in Stanislaus County.-Geography:Turlock lies in the...
, St. Andrew's Parish in San Andreas, California
San Andreas, California
San Andreas is an unincorporated census-designated place and the county seat of Calaveras County, California. The population was 2,783 at the 2010 census, up from 2,615 at the 2000 census. Like most towns in the region, it was originally founded during the California Gold Rush...
, and St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Hughson, California
Hughson, California
Hughson is a city in Stanislaus County, California, United States. It is part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,640 at the 2010 census, up from 3,980 at the 2000 census.-History of farming:...
. He claimed to have been himself molested by a priest at the age of 10, and that he was involved in sexual abuse in his own family, both as perpetrator and victim.
Crimes
In 1993 he was convicted on four counts of "lewd and lascivious acts" on two minors, the brothers John and James Howard, and was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Attorney Jeff Anderson said O'Grady repeatedly molested the Howards between 1978 and 1991, from age three to 13. Anderson claimed church officials knew that O'Grady had abused children as early as 1976 and 1984 but had done nothing. Police had been informed of earlier charges and had declined to prosecute. In 1998 a civil jury ordered the Catholic Diocese of Stockton to pay US$United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
30 million in damages to the brothers. A judge later reduced the amount to $7 million. O'Grady was parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
d from prison in 2000 after serving only seven years, and went to Ireland after being deported
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
from the United States.
In a 2005 videotaped deposition
Deposition (law)
In the law of the United States, a deposition is the out-of-court oral testimony of a witness that is reduced to writing for later use in court or for discovery purposes. It is commonly used in litigation in the United States and Canada and is almost always conducted outside of court by the...
, O'Grady claimed he abused at least as many as 25 children in and around Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
. There have been lawsuits filed accusing O'Grady of abusing children while a seminarian in Ireland.
Deliver Us From Evil
O'Grady is the subject of the 2006 Academy Award-nominated documentaryDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
Deliver Us From Evil
Deliver Us from Evil (2006 film)
Deliver Us from Evil is a documentary film directed by Amy J. Berg which tells the true story of Catholic priest Oliver O'Grady, who admitted to having molested and raped approximately 25 children in Northern California between the late 1970s and early 1990s...
. O'Grady said he wanted the film to serve as the "most honest confession of [his] life." He details how he preyed on children, and claims Church officials knew about his abuses but protected him by moving him from parish to parish. O'Grady confirmed that his bishop knew that there were claims that he had abused children in 1976 and before, and that the diocese responded by transferring him to another parish. The film ends by saying that O'Grady is free in Ireland, but that an American priest is making efforts to see that he and other abusers are monitored.
Present day
Since his deportation to Ireland in 2001, he has been reported as living in ThurlesThurles
Thurles is a town situated in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...
and the Dublin suburb of Phibsboro
Phibsboro
Phibsborough , often formerly shortened to Phibsboro and later Phibsboro , is a district of Dublin in Ireland.-Location:Phibsboro' is located in the Dublin 7 postal district on the Northside of the city. The area is very close to the city centre, about two kilometres from the River Liffey which...
. In October, 2006, it was reported that he had left Ireland possibly for France and "may be en route to Canada". In 2007 the Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner
The Irish Examiner, formerly The Cork Examiner and then The Examiner, is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country...
reported O'Grady's solicitor claiming O'Grady registered voluntarily with the local Gardaí. In October, 2007, the rented house where he was living in Dundalk was burgled and damaged. In October 2008 it was reported that California-based lawyers were considering offering a reward for information about his whereabouts in Ireland so further civil actions could be pursued against him. In March 2010 he was reported living in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where he volunteered at a Catholic parish, assuming a different identity, calling himself “Brother Francis”. In December 2010 he was arrested in Dublin for possession of child pornography. The victims were as young as two years old. Authorities discovered child pornography photos and videos on O'Grady's laptop, on an external hard drive, and on a USB key. Judge Patrick McMahon remanded O’Grady on continuing bail to appear again on January 28th. As part of his bail conditions O’Grady must sign on twice daily at Dublin's Harcourt Terrace Garda station, and surrendered his passport.
See also
- Catholic sex abuse cases
- Roger Mahony - Sexual abuse cases