Father James Coonan
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Ordained: 1965
Retired: 2002
Inpatient evaluation: 2002
Faculties Removed: 2004
Died: 2016
Assigned as follows:
- 1965-1970 Queen of the Universe (Levittown, PA)
- 1970-1971 St. Carthage (Philadelphia, PA)
- 1971-1973 St. Madeline (Ridley Park, PA)
- 1973-1975 Nativity (Warminster, PA)
- 1975-1980 Nativity B.M.V. (Philadelphia, PA)
- 1980-1983 St. Cyril of Alexandria (East Lansdowne, PA)
- 1983-1985 St. Stanislaus (Lansdale, PA)
- 1985-1988 Sacred Heart (Havertown, PA)
- 1988-1986 Chaplain, U.S. Air Force
- 1996-1999 St. Leo (Philadelphia, PA)
- 1999-2001 Chaplain, Holy Redeemer Health System
Summary of Allegations Against Father James Coonan:
Father James Coonan was ordained a priest in 1965 and served in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He served in multiple parishes throughout his career. According to the Philadelphia 2005 Grand Jury Report, he was accused in 2002 of abusing two boys in the late '60s. Following these accusations, Father Coonan's priestly faculties were restricted to private Mass. Father Coonan also underwent a psychological evaluation at the notorious St. John Vianney Hospital, where the Archdiocese of Philadelphia sent dozens of accused priests for evaluation and treatment.
According to the report, in 2004, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia imposed further restrictions on Father Coonan's priestly ministry and informed him that his name would not appear in the 2005 Catholic Directory. Eventually, Father Coonan agreed to the removal of his priestly faculties, to forgo the Church penal process and to accept the imposition of a supervised life of prayer and penance.
Coonan resided at Villa St. Joseph until his death in 2016.
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