Assignment Record – Rev. Arthur A. Falvey, s.j.

Summary of Case: Arthur Falvey was a priest of the California Province of the Society of Jesus, ordained in 1930. Most of his career was spent in California as a faculty member of Jesuit high schools and colleges. He died in 1966 in Nevada, where he had lived and worked for a short while. In 2009 the Jesuits settled with a man who claimed Falvey sexually abused him over a 4-year period in Sacramento, beginning in 1954 when the man was a 7-year-old boy. Falvey was the brother of Rev. Mark Falvey, s.j., who was accused of sexually abusing at least 10 children.

Ordained: 1930
Died: Feb. 23, 1966

1930

Boston archbishop was William Henry O'Connell (1907-1944).

1931

San Francisco archbishop was Edward Joseph Hanna (1915-1935).

1932

Seattle archbishop was Edward John O'Dea (1896-1932), followed by Gerald Shaughnessy, s.m. (1933-1950).

1933

Los Angeles and San Diego bishop was John Joseph Cantwell (1922-1947).

1948

San Francisco archbishop was John Joseph Mitty (1935-1961).

1955

Sacramento bishop was Robert John Armstrong (1929-1957). He was replaced by Joseph Thomas McGucken (1957-1962).

Sacramento

• The Jesuits settled with a man in 2009 who claimed Falvey raped him repeatedly over a 4-year period, beginning in 1954 when the man was 7 years-old. The man said he had polio and turned to Falvey for help.

1961

Joseph Thomas McGucken succeeded Mitty as San Francisco archbishop (1962-1977).

1964

Sacramento bishop was Alden John Bell (1962-1979).

1965

Reno bishop was Robert Joseph Dwyer (1952-1966).

This was a mission of St. Gall's in Gardnerville. It had 35 students.

Falvey died Feb. 23, 1966.

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1931-1967)

• Jesuits Settle Abuse Claim against Late Sacramento Priest, By Jennifer Garza, Sacramento Bee, June 5, 2009

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Falvey's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on January 2, 2014.