Father James McAuliffe – Diocese of Scranton

Assignment Record:

DatesAssignment
Approx. 1942 Ordained in the Diocese of Scranton
1942 St. Ann Church, Tobyhanna, PA
1942 – 1945 St. Thomas Church, Archbald, PA
1945 Our Lady of the Snows Church, Clarks Summit, PA
1945 – 1947 St. Mary’s Church, Pittston, PA
1947 – 1953 1947 – 1953
1953 – 1954 St. Therese Church, Shavertown, PA
1954 St. Ann Church, Tobyhanna, PA
1954 – 1966 Holy Saviour Church, Wilkes-Barre, PA
1966 – 1969 St. Thomas Church, Dickson City, PA
1969 – 1973 St. James Church, Pleasant Mount, PA
1973 – 1989 St. David Church, Scranton, PA
Sources:
  • Report I of the 40th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, released by the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General, dated July 27, 2018; and
  • The Official Catholic Directory, Kenedy & Sons
Summary:
  • Father McAuliffe died in 1989.
  • Father James McAuliffe was accused of sexually abusing two male children during the time period of approximately 1966 to 1969 when one child was approximately eleven to twelve years old and the other was approximately thirteen to sixteen years old. At the time of the sexual abuse, Father McAuliffe was assigned to St. Thomas Church in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, and the boys were parishioners at the church. Much of the sexual abuse took place inside the church and in the nearby rectory affiliated with the church.
  • The sexual abuse by Father McAuliffe included the following: Father McAuliffe would give the boys long, tight hugs, rubbing his body against theirs such that they could feel his erect penis against their bodies over their clothes. One of the boys also reported that Father McAuliffe reached inside the front of the boy’s pants and underwear and fondled the boy’s penis and testicles, skin-on-skin.
  • The claims both settled in 2020 in the mid five figures.