Michael Edwin Wempe

Ordained: 1966

Michael Edwin Wempe was ordained in 1966.  From 1972 to 1995, Wempe is accused of sexually abusing 13 children.  For much of this time, Wempe was a teacher at Paraclete High School in Lancaster.  In 1987, the pastor at St. Sebastian made a written report to the Vicar for Clergy concerning Wempe’s boundary violations.  A year later, in 1988, two brothers reported buse by Wempe that had occurred 10 years earlier.  This was the first of numerous complaints against him.  He was granted early retirement and voluntarily retired at the Cardinal’s request.  Wempe’s abuse was the subject of several civil lawsuits filed in 2002 and 2003.   In 2006, Wempe was arrested, charged, and convicted of one count of abuse.  He was sentenced to three years in prison.

Father Wempe's Assignments

Articles about Father Wempe

• Los Angeles Times - Wempe is Convicted on One Count (23/02/2006)
• Associated Press - Priest Admits to Prior Abuses (20/11/2005)
• Los Angeles Times - Church's Victims Abused Again By High Court (27/06/2003)