Ordained: N/A
Status: Accused
Died: 2008
Diocese: Archdiocese of Boston MA
Brother William Morgan, a member of the Divine Word Missionaries, served in New Guinea from 1950 to 1991, making occasional visits back home. In 1986, a couple contacted a pastor in the Archdiocese, alleging that Morgan had sexually abused their 4-year-old granddaughter during his recent vacation in Maryland.
The pastor spoke to the child’s parents in the presence of the child, documenting the conversation in a memorandum addressed to Fred Rudolph, a member of the Society of the Divine Word, at the Office of the Mission Superior Delegate. According to the memo, the child’s mother expressed discomfort with how Morgan held her daughter on his lap and positioned her between his legs while lying on a bed. The girl disclosed to her mother that Morgan had been naked with her on two occasions, with one incident involving inappropriate touching with his penis. The couple also mentioned that ten years prior, William Morgan had abused another girl within their family and a neighbor’s daughter.
Handwritten notes from an interview with the grandparents, who were the initial reporters, were also available. According to the notes, the grandfather stated that Morgan had admitted to fondling the victim and derived satisfaction when other children climbed on him.