Assignment Record – Rev. Paul H. Linssen, s.j.

Summary of Case: A native of Holland, Linssen began his Jesuit seminary studies in the Netherlands Province. Because he wanted to work in Alaska, he transferred to the Oregon Province where he was ordained in 1950. He began his career in Alaska in 1952 based at Holy Cross Mission, followed by several years in Hamilton and then Nelson Island. Linssen died during a storm while on a boat downriver from Bethel in 1960. In 2010 his name was included in the the Fairbanks diocese's bankruptcy documents on a list of 'Individuals against whom one person has brought a complaint of sexual abuse'.

Ordained: June 17, 1950
Died: Sept. 1960

1950

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

1952

Vicariate Apostolic of Alaska bishop was Francis Doyle Gleeson, s.j. (1948-1968).

These were stations of St. Joseph's in Tununak.

Linssen died in September 1960.

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1951-1961)

• Search on for Priest, Companion, Fairbanks Daily News Miner, September 28, 1960
• Services Held for Rev. Linssen, Sitka Daily Sentinel, October 7, 1960
• Excerpt from Bankruptcy Reorganization Documents for Fairbanks Diocese, Jan. 25, 2010, p. 2

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 Linssen'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 May 18, 2014.