James W. Lennon: Accused of Child Sexual Abuse

James W. Lennon

 

On October 7, 2014 the priest file of Father James Lennon was released to the public. Along with Lennon’s file, the files of thirteen other priests with credible allegations of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Winona were also released. The files were obtained as part of the Doe 1 v. Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona civil lawsuit filed in Ramsey County in May 2013. The lawsuit was made possible due to the Child Victims Act passed by the Minnesota legislature.

Father James W. Lennon was identified on December 16, 2013 by the Diocese of Winona as a priest with credible allegations of child sexual abuse. The Diocese was court ordered to release the names of priests who were included in the 2004 John Jay Charter Study as part of the Doe 1 lawsuit. Along with the Diocese of Winona, the Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul released a list of 34 names on December 5, 2013.

According to court documents filed by the Diocese of Winona, Father James W. Lennon worked in the following parishes:

July 15, 1965 – Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona, MN

June 16, 1968 – Resurrection, Rochester, MN

June 29, 1972 – Saint Stanislaus, Winona, MN

June 29, 1972 – Cotter High School, Winona, MN

June 11, 1976 – Saint Mary, Minneiska, MN

December 1, 1976 – Saint Aloysius, Elba, MN

June 9, 1977 – Saint Anthony, Altura, MN and Saint Aloysius, Elba, MN

December 1, 1977 – Sacred Heart, Heron Lake, MN

June 15, 1978 – Saint James, Saint James, MN

June 23, 1983 – Saint Joachim, Plainview, MN

Ministerial Status: Voluntarily left active ministry in June, 1984