Disgraced Former Greenwich Priest Dies

By Daniel Tepfer
Greenwich Time
October 7, 2014

http://www.greenwichtime.com/local/article/Disgraced-former-Greenwich-priest-dies-5807480.php

Father Robert Morrissey, of Saint Mary’s Church in Ridgefield, Conn., on Thursday, July 18, 1996. (AP file Photo/Douglas Healey)

A former Greenwich priest, suspended following allegations he sexually assaulted a teenage boy in the early 1980s, has died.

Robert P. Morrissey, 69, who served as a parochial vicar at St. Mary Church on Greenwich Avenue several decades ago, died last week in Jupiter, Fla., where he had been living.

He was buried Tuesday in a family plot in Flushing, N.Y.

In 2002, Morrissey was removed from active ministry, shortly after resigning his position as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Ridgefield, following accusations that he and two other priests, the Rev. Albert McGoldrick, pastor of St. Paul Church in Greenwich, and the Rev. Sherman Gray, pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Church in Stamford, had sexually assaulted a boy from 1979 to 1983, beginning when the victim was 15.

At the time of the alleged abuse, Gray and McGoldrick were assigned to parishes in Stamford and Morrissey was at a Greenwich parish -- although it was unclear Tuesday whether or not that parish was St. Mary. After the allegations became public, all three were suspended from the priesthood.

The diocese later settled a lawsuit in the case for an undisclosed sum.

"During this difficult time, the diocese seeks both to proceed with compassion for those who have been hurt and with prayerful desire for God's mercy on those removed from ministry," said diocese spokesman Brian Wallace.

"Acknowledging that this can also be a painful moment for victims of sexual abuse and their families who carry the burden of their experience, we pray that they may find healing and move forward with their lives. The diocese asks for prayers for all involved."

Before his suspension, when Morrissey resigned as pastor of the Ridgefield church in 2002 but remained a priest, the Diocese of Bridgeport hired an auditor to investigate the loss of $500,000 from the parish in an unauthorized brokerage account.

Diocese officials at the time said Morrissey had hired a financial consultant who transferred money from an existing parish brokerage account to a new account.

Trading in this account resulted in the $500,000 loss.

While Morrissey was found to have violated diocesan policy by hiring the consultant, no criminal charges were ever brought.

He was suspended from the priesthood later in 2002.