Assignment Record– Bro. Damien (Patrick) Chong, O.Carm.
Summary of Case: Brother Damien (Patrick) Chong entered the Carmelite Order's Brothers' formation program in 1956 in
Akron OH. He made his first vows in 1958, and his solemn vows in 1961. His first three years as a religious brother were spent
assisting in the Order's House of Theology in Washington DC. From there he moved to southern CA, where he taught in Carmelite
high schools until around 1991. He was then transferred to Chicago IL, where he served as a parish associate pastor and prior. In
1997 Chong settled in Peabody MA, living at the Order's priory and working, primarily, at their "Chapel-in-the-Mall." In 2008
Chong's name was quietly added to the Los Angeles diocese's list of "names of clergy from a follow up review of Archdiocesan
files, and names of clergy involved in Clergy I litigation which were not previously posted." Chong died October 31, 2014. His name
was included on Attorney Garabedian's list in March 2016 of accused clerics named in civil claims resulting in settlements or arbitration awards.
A former Crespi High School in Encino CA student received a settlement in March 2015, claiming Chong sexually abused him repeatedly 1984-86.
Born: June 5, 1938
Simple Profession: September 8, 1958
Solemn Profession: September 8, 1961
Died: October 31, 2014
|
Start | Stop | Assignment | Town/Accusations | State | Position | Notes |
1956 Cleveland bishop was Edward Francis Hoban (1945-1966). |
1958 | Carmelite Brothers' Formation Program | Akron | OH | ||
1958 Washington DC archbishop was Patrick Aloysius O'Boyle (1947-1973). |
1961 | Whitefriars Hall | Washington | DC | Assistant for the House of Theology Community | This was a house of theology for the Carmelite Order. |
1961 | 1963 | |||||
1963 Los Angeles archbishop was James Francis McIntyre (1948-1970). |
1967 | Crespi Carmelite High School | Encino | CA | Teacher | |
1967 McIntyre was succeeded by Timothy Finbar Manning (1970-1985). |
1974 | Mt. Carmel High School | Los Angeles | CA | Teacher | |
1974 | 1976 | Chong is not listed in the Directory for these years. He was likely at Mt. Carmel or Crespi. | ||||
1976 | 1984 | Chong is not listed in the Directory for these years. He was likely at Crespi. | ||||
1984 Roger Michael Mahony replaced Manning (1985-2011). |
1989 | Crespi Carmelite High School | Encino • Chong was accused in a lawsuit settled in March 2015 of sexually abusing a Crespi High student 1984-86. His accuser said Chong would abuse him in his living quarters after inviting the boy to sleep there after football practice. |
CA | ||
1989 | 1991 | Chong is not listed in the 1990 Directory. | ||||
1991 Chicago archbishop was Joseph Louis Bernardin (1982-1996), follwed by Francis Eugene George, O.M.I. (1997-2014). |
1997 | St. Gelasius | Chicago | IL | Associate Pastor and Prior | |
1997 Boston archbishop was Bernard Francis Law (1984-2002), followed by Sean Patrick O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap. (2003-). |
2014 | St. Therese Carmelite Chapel-in-the-Mall | Peabody | MA | Sacristan (North Shore Mall) | |
2014 | Discalced Carmelite Monastery | Danvers | MA | |||
1999 | 2014 | Our Lady of the Scapular Carmelite Priory | Peabody | MA | Chong died October 31, 2014. |
Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons)
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. |