Fr. Michael P. Pecharich
Ordained: 1973
Assignments:
- 1974-1976: St. Bridget of Sweden, Van Nuys, CA
- 1977-1978: St. Edward, Dana Point, CA
- 1979-1982: San Antonio de Padua, Anaheim Hills, CA
- 1983-1988: St. Juliana Falconieri, Fullerton, CA
- 1989-2002: San Francisco Solano, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
- 2003-2018: Unknown
Fr. Michael P. Pecharich is accused of inappropriate conduct with four boys, some of which accuse him of sexual misconduct, from approximately 1974 to 1984. He has been named in at least one civil lawsuit and is on the list of abusive priests released by the Diocese of Orange. In 1996, Fr. Pecharich admitted to then-Bishop McFarland that he had sexually abused a teenage boy 19 years before. Fr. Pecharich, founder of San Francisco Solano in Rancho Santa Margarita, remained in ministry until 2002 when he was forced to resign. It is believed Fr. Pecharich was laicized. Fr. Pecharich was included in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ list of priests accused of sexual misconduct involving minors. As of 2004, it is believed Fr. Pecharich resided in Signal Hills, CA. Fr. Pecharich’s status as a priest, his current whereabouts and whether he has access to children are unknown.