Rev. Maurice R. Grammond—Assignment Record

Summary of Case: Suit filed 12/14/99 accused Grammond of sexually abusing a boy in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Amended suit added 24 other plaintiffs; settlement with 23 announced 10/9/00. Through 2006, 46 claims had been settled for almost $30M. Alcohol and porn used in grooming; abuse allegedly included oral and anal sex. Archdiocese was allegedly warned 5 times 1959-74. Removed 1985; sick leave 1986; retired 1988; died 2002.

Ordained: 1950
Incardinated: Archdiocese of Portland OR
Retired: 1988.
Died: 9/30/02.

   

Start Stop Parish Town State Position Notes
1950 1952 St. Mary’s Home for Boys, Inc. Huber OR Assistant. The superintendent was Rev. John M. Goodrich. Residential treatment center with 104-116 boys.
1952 1953 St. Boniface’s Sublimity OR 2/3. Pastor was Rev. Joseph Scherbring. Parish grade school had 135 pupils. Parish high school had 104 pupils.
1953 1956 Assumption Portland OR 2/2. Pastor was John M. Berger. Parish school had 256-271 pupils.
1956 1959 Our Lady of Sorrows Portland
• Fathers allegedly complained of abuse to pastor of Holy Cross in Portland, who was Rev. V.L. Moffenbeier. Grammond was moved to Oakridge. See article. 		OR 2/2. Pastor was Rev. Richard L. Fall. Parish school had 325 pupils.
1958 1961 Archdiocsan Tribunal Portland OR Advocate.  
1959 1966 St. Michael’s Oakridge OR 1/1, pastor.  
1959 1966 St. Henry’s Dexter OR 1/1, pastor. Mission of St. Michael’s in Oakridge.
1966   Sick leave. • Placed on sick leave for 5 months and then assigned to Seaside, allegedly after mother complained to local monsignor. Complaint in 1962-63 to Rev. John Thatcher SJ had no result. See article.      
1966 1985 Our Lady of Victory Seaside
• Suit filed 12/14/99 by former altar boy Joseph Elliott, alleging abuse by Grammond at Seaside and on trips. After 24 others join suit, archdiocese settled with 23.		 OR 1/1, pastor.  
1966 1985 St. Peter the Fisherman Arch Cape
• Rev. Vincent Cunniff allegedly hand-delivered a complaint to the chancery in 1969. In 1974, archbishop all egedly met with Grammond about another complaint. See article. 		OR 1/1, pastor. Mission of Our Lady of Victory in Seaside.
1985 1986         Not listed in 1986 Directory.
1986 1988 Absent on sick leave.        
1988 1998 Retired. Portland OR    
1998 1999   Beaverton OR    
1999 2002 Retired at Encore Senior Village.

 Portland OR    

Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: Kenedy & Sons, 1951-2003); Secrets of a Small-Town Priest, by Michael Wilson, Oregonian (10/15/2000).

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Grammond's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as they are reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegations we report. We remind our readers that in the U.S. judicial system, a person is considered innocent until proven guilty.

A Note on Nomenclature: We use the term "assignment record," instead of the more common "service record," because "service" is not an appropriate word for the activities of an abusive priest. Dioceses are often less than forthcoming about the activities of retired priests, but when we can determine those activities, we list them in these assignment records, particularly if they involve ministry. Retired priests remain under obedience to their bishop, and even the activities of laicized priests should be a concern to the diocese.

This assignment record was last updated on 3/22/07.