Bertrand W. Horvath
Ordained: 1970
Bertrand (Bert) Horvath was a Conventual Franciscan of the Province of St. Francis, Indiana, and was assigned to California in the 1970s. His personnel file was released by the Los Angeles Archdiocese in 2015. The personnel file reveals a complaint by a 43-year-old man about sexual abuse perpetrated by Horvath. Horvath would allegedly inappropriately touch boys while they were gardening and would ask questions about masturbation while touching himself inappropriately. The alleged abuse occurred in 1970 at St. Kilian Parish in Mission Viejo, CA. A complainant came forward in 2000, and Horvath’s priestly faculties were withdrawn in 2001 when the Diocese of Orange informed the Diocese of Amarillo of reports alleging abuse. Horvath had reportedly worked in several other dioceses, as well. In 2002, a man filed a lawsuit alleging that Horvath sexually abused him when he was an altar server at St. Kilian’s in 1972.
Father Horvath's Assignments
| Placement | City/State | Date(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Mater Dei High School | Santa Ana, CA | 1973..1973 |
| St. Kilian's Parish | Mission Viejo, CA | 1970..1980 |
| Transferred to the Diocese of Amarillo, TX | 1986..2001 |
Articles about Father Horvath
- Orange County Edition - Priest Molested Altar Boy in 1972, Lawsuit Contends (04/06/2002)
- OC Weekly - Accused Priests of the Orange Diocese (04/03/2005)
- Orange County Register - Million-Dollar Settlements (17/05/2005)
- Orange County Weekly - How the Los Angeles Archdiocese Stretched, Twisted and Contorted to Hide Bad, Bad Priests in Orange County (28/10/2005)
- Archdiocese of Los Angeles - Clergy Files Produced by Archdiocese of Los Angeles (11/11/2015)
