Father Albert McMahon
Diocese of Pittsburgh (Franciscan)
Ordained: Unknown
Removed: 2004
Assigned as follows:
- 7/05/1961- 7/01/1964: Team Ministry at St. Pamphilus, Beechview, PA
- Unknown – 9/14/1967: Parochial Vicar at Our Lady Help of Christians, Pittsburgh, PA
- Unknown – 2004: Province of the Immaculate Conception, New York
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Albert McMahon:
Father Albert McMahon was ordained a Franciscan priest who served in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. According to media reports, in April 2004, a 54-year-old female reported that she was sexually abused by Father McMahon when she was approximately 11 years old. She explained that she went to play at St. Pamphilus, and Father McMahon would have her sit on his lap. He would then fondle her breasts and genitals. She noted that Father Albert smelled of alcohol.
The Diocese contacted Father Campagna, Provincial Minister for the Province of the Immaculate Conception, in New York where McMahon was living at the time. In October 2004, Campagna sent a letter to the female which stated, in part:
“Once again I need to reiterate that I have not ignored, nor disbelieved, your accusations made against Father McMahon. If that were the case, I would not have removed him from active ministry. At the present time, Father McMahon does not enjoy participation in active ministerial priesthood, based solely on your complaint… I also assure you, as I have from the very beginning, I committed myself to provide for an appropriate time, access to therapeutic counseling that will hopefully bring some healing to your life.”
In January 2014, a 63-year-old adult male contacted the Diocese of Pittsburgh to report that in the mid-1960s, when he was approximately 11 to 14 years of age, he served as an altar boy at St. Pamphilus, where he met McMahon. He stated that Father Albert MacMahon would invite the altar boys to his friary room on Saturdays in order to wrestle.
To the best of his knowledge, Father McMahon would always invite the boys to wrestle with him individually, never in a group. The male reported that when they would wrestle, McMahon would always get on top of him and that McMahon would always have an erection.
The male was offered counseling and advised that the allegation would be forwarded to the District Attorney’s office where the incident occurred (Allegheny County).
In January 2014, Bishop David Zubik addressed a letter to parishioners at St. Pamphilus that explained that allegations had been made against McMahon. The contact information for the abuse hotline was provided in the event that a parishioner was harmed by McMahon.
In February 2014, a 64-year-old male contacted the Diocese of Pittsburgh to advise that he became aware of the fact that a letter was read and distributed at St. Pamphilus concerning McMahon. He reported that when he was approximately 12 to 13 years of age, he would wrestle with McMahon. He recalled that McMahon would have an erect penis and would attempt to put it in his behind.
At first, the wrestling seemed innocent; however, once he realized that McMahon had an erect penis near his backside, he got out of the rectory and never came back.
The male recounted two incidents of abuse. During the first incident, while he was wrestling with McMahon, his hand slightly passed over McMahon’ s penis. He did not know if McMahon did this on purpose, or if it was an accident.
During the second incident, McMahon placed him on his lap. McMahon had an erection at the time. According to a confidential memorandum in the file documenting this meeting, the male was very tearful at times while telling his story.
They further advised that his allegations had been forwarded to the Allegheny County District
Attorney’s Office and the Provincial for the Franciscan community. No information could be located within the files as to whether if/when McMahon was confronted with any/all of the allegations.
McMahon died in 2018, at the age of 83. He was named publicly as accused in a priest profile in the 2018 Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Pennsylvania, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Pittsburgh may have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.