John A. Pender

Ordained:
Diocese: Diocese of Scranton

From Report I of the 40th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:

Father John A. Pender was instructed to submit himself for psychiatric study by Bishop J. Carroll McCormick in October, 1968.  Although Pender agreed to go to an institution for priests and nuns, he never reported for the treatment.

Years later, the Diocese of Scranton was contacted by the Diocese of Jefferson City and advised that Pender was practicing in their Diocese.

On May 6, 2016, the Diocese sent a certified letter to each of the District Attorney’s Offices within the Diocese. The District Attorneys were notified by Bishop Joseph Bambera that in in an effort to further the Church’s ongoing commitment to transparency as it continues to address the sad reality of child sexual abuse, he was submitting for their information a confidential comprehensive list of all priests in the Diocese of Scranton against whom accusations of sexual abuse of children had been made.  Pender’s name was on the list, noting that an allegation from a “John Doe” was made in 2014.

Additional information regarding the widespread sexual abuse of children within the Catholic Dioceses of Pennsylvania and the systemic cover up by senior church officials is compiled in the Pennsylvania Diocese Victim’s Report published by the Pennsylvania Attorney General following a two-year grand jury investigation.  A complete copy of the Report is available on the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s website.