Fr. John McMahon – Diocese of Pittsburgh

| Dec 22, 2018 | Abuser Profiles, Catholic Church

Father John McMahon

Diocese of Pittsburgh

Ordained: 1940

Died: 1993

Assigned as follows:

  • 12/05/1940-1/14/1942: Holy Family (Latrobe, PA)
  • 1/15/1942-6/17/1953: St. Mary Mercy (Pittsburgh, PA)
  • 1/15/1942-6/17/1953: St. Mary Mercy (Pittsburgh, PA)
  • 6/18/1953-6/12/1957: St. John the Baptist (Pittsburgh, PA)
  • 6/13/1957-2/19/1958: St. Sylvester (Brentwood, PA)
  • 2/20/1958-1/19/1960: St. Peter (Pittsburgh, PA)
  • 1/20/1960-6/07/1960: St. Catherine (Pittsburgh, PA)
  • 6/08/1960-6/14/1970: North American Martyr (Monroeville, PA)
  • 6/15/1970-6/30/1984: Resurrection (Pittsburgh, PA)
  • 6/30/1984: Retired

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father John McMahon:

Father John McMahon was ordained to the priesthood in 1940, and served in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. According to media reports, in 2004, the Diocese of Pittsburgh received a call from a therapist to inquire about the process for bringing a sexual abuse allegation to the attention of the Diocese for her adult female patient.

The woman alleged that between 1969 and 1976, she was molested by Father McMahon and another priest while she was a student at Resurrection. She estimated that it occurred when she was seven to 15 years old. She stated that the molestation took place on the second floor of the rectory where the two priests lived. Some of the abuse occurred during school hours, while other
abuse took place during the summer. She recalled being with McMahon when he was naked.

McMahon encouraged her to touch him in inappropriate areas of his body. On other occasions, other children were present and McMahon encouraged them to touch each other. She recalled seeing pictures of naked boys and girls scattered on McMahon’ s desk. The female reported that the abuse by McMahon and progressed over time from touching and fondling to sexual intercourse. She disclosed that on one particular occasion, she was in the school cloakroom when he exposed his penis to her. He then touched her inappropriately and ejaculated on her underwear.

McMahon died in 1993. 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.