Rev. James T. McKeon

Summary of Case: A woman accused McKeon in 2002 of having sexually abused her and her female cousins in the 1940s when they were little girls. She also stated that when her family complained, they were told to stay quiet "for the good of the church". McKeon died in 1965.

Ordained: 1928

     

Start Stop Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes

1928

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

1940 St. Peter's Cambridge MA 4/4, 5/5, 4/5, 3/5 Parish had a school with 265-475 boys and 272-481 girls.
1940 1941 St. Thomas Millis MA 2/2  
1940 1941 St. Theresa's Chapel Sherborn MA   This was a mission of St. Thomas in Millis.
1941 1942 St. Mary's Billerica MA 2/2  
1942 1943 St. Thomas Millis MA 2/2  
1942 1943 St. Theresa's Chapel Sherborn MA   This was a mission of St. Thomas in Millis.

1943

O'Connell was succeeded by Richard James Cushing (1944-1970)

1947 Sacred Heart (East) Boston MA 2/4, 3/4 Parish had a school with 332-309 boys and 346-328 girls.
1947 1948 St. Margaret's Boston (Dorchester) MA 2/4 Parish had a school with 46 boys and 466 girls.  
1948 1949 St. Anthony's

Boston (Allston)

• In 2002 a 61 year old woman stated publicly that McKeon had sexually abused her and her cousins in the 1940s when they were little girls and St. Anthony's parishioners. She said her family complained, but were told to stay silent "for the good of the church". (Boston Herald
February 25, 2002)

MA 2/5 Parish had a school with 239 boys and 237 girls.  
1949 1950 St. Margaret's (Campello) Brockton MA 2/3  
1950 1952 St. Joseph's Boston MA 4/4, 3/4 Parish had a school with 380-375 boys and 389-358 girls.
1952 1959 St. Mary of the Assumption Dracut (Collinsville) MA 1/1, 1/2, 1/3  
1952 1959 St. Mary of the Lake Lakeview MA   summer only
1959 1965 Our Lady of Lourdes Boston (Jamaica Plain) MA 1/4, 1/5 McKeon died Aug. 3, 1965


Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1929-1966)

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 McKeon's'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 Oct. 22, 2010