Philadelphia priest pleads guilty to sexually abusing 13-year-old altar server, victim calls the abuse a “nightmare”

October 24, 2023

For immediate release: October 23, 2023

A Catholic priest from Philadelphia was convicted today of sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl in 2014. The victim described the assault as a "nightmare" in court. We applaud this brave survivor for reporting the cleric despite her suffering. Her bravery has helped to ensure that Catholic children and the public are safer. We hope that the cleric will receive the stiffest sentence possible for his crime.

Fr. Armand Garcia pleaded guilty to corruption of a minor and unlawful contact with a minor stemming from the assault on this now-25-year-old woman. The priest was initially charged with rape, but agreed to a plea bargain taking that charge off of the table. The victim was an altar server at the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in the Andorra neighborhood at the time of the crime. The survivor had known the clergyman since she was 13 and he was a friend of her father’s. She reported the assault in 2017, when Fr. Garcia was transferred to St. Martin of Tours in Summerdale while she was away at college.

Again, we cannot praise this young woman enough for stepping forward at such an young age, despite the grievous harm she suffered as a result of her rape. Clergy sex abuse results in life-long injuries. As this victim testified, the assault caused her deep and permanent harm, hampering her ability to trust friends, family, and potential romantic partners, as well as interfering with her ability to pursue a nursing career. We can only hope that her persistence in pursuing criminal charges will be rewarded with the maximum sentence for this dangerous priest. Children are always safest when perpetrators are incarcerated.

We also note that Fr. Garcia was only ordained in 2005, and the rape occurred in 2014. This puts the lie to the Church's constant refrain that abuse is now a thing of the past. According to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the cleric had also passed a background check and attended child protection training programs. However, as this case illustrates, parents still need to be aware of what the signs of sexual abuse are, and be vigilant in delving into changes in behavior that can indicate that their child may have suffered an assault. Believing survivors and getting them immediate help are the best things parents can do to mitigate the damage of clergy sexual abuse.

We want everyone who was abused in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia or elsewhere to know that they do not need to suffer alone and in silence. They should not be afraid to stand up and tell their truth. There are people who will believe them and support them.

CONTACT: Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Director ([email protected], 925-708-6175), Mike McDonnell, SNAP Interim Executive Director ([email protected], 267-261-0578), Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board of Directors President ([email protected], 814- 341-8386)

(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 35 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Spread the Word!
Sign in if you'd like new recruits to be credited to you.

Showing 1 comment

Michael McDonnell published this page in Official SNAP Media Statements 2023-10-24 07:52:23 -0500

Donate Report Abuse to your AG

Winter Appeal 2023

To our friends,

2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’

At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.

To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.

Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.

Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.

Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!

Warmly,

Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.

Interim Executive Director

Share Your Story Get Help Now Locations

Join our mailing list!

Protect the vulnerable. Heal the wounded. Prevent the abuse.

Survivor

Supporter

Country