Diocese of Saint Augustine says retired priest under investigation

JACKSONVILLE, Florida. – While parishioners celebrated the Christmas holiday, the Diocese of Saint Augustine quietly announced several charges against a retired priest.

Father David Terrence Morgan, 71, was a patriarchal vicar at St. Augustine’s Basilica Cathedral when he left for a six-month sabbatical in July 2018. Records also show that Morgan was a professor of religion at Bishop Kenny High School in the 1980s .

More than two years after its sabbatical year, the Diocese of Saint Augustine published in the parish bulletin that charges had been brought against Morgan. The diocese wrote that it found the allegations to have a “real appearance” based on an initial analysis. The note posted on December 27 stated that “the blame has not been determined”. The diocese said the allegations were reported to the police and that the charges are under canonical investigation.

After leaving in the summer of 2018, he was never again listed as a parish official.

In the July 2018 announcement, Morgan wrote, “With Bishop Estevez’s permission and encouragement, I’m starting an intense semester-long retreat / sabbatical this month,” adding that he would have “spiritual director and professional counselors guiding me to the next one. phase of my life. “

The Diocese of Saint Augustine did not say whether Morgan’s sabbatical year coincided with the diocese’s finding out about the charges against the priest. After e-mail requests, the Diocese did not specify how many charges Morgan is facing or the nature of the charges.

News4Jax requested police reports from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

“We are not releasing additional information to the bulletin announcement until the canonical investigation has been completed,” Kathleen Bagg, director of communications for the Diocese, said in an email.

The announcement marks the 14th priest that the Diocese has publicly confirmed that it is facing charges, although the church has warned that it has not found Morgan guilty of anything.

Emails and phone calls to Morgan were not immediately returned on Monday.