Father Mark Haynes
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Ordained: 1985
Leave of Absence: 2000-2001
Inpatient evaluation: 2013
Suspended from ministry: 2014
Faculties permanently restricted: 2014
Laicized (removed from the priesthood): 2016
Assigned as follows:
- 1985-1989: St. Ann (Phoenixville, PA)
- 1989-1991: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Doylestown, PA)
- 1990-1991: Archbishop Wood High School
- 1990-1992: Assoc. Director, Office of Youth and Young Adults
- 1991-1994: St. John of the Cross (Roslyn, PA)
- 1994-2000: Our Lady of Good Counsel (Southampton, PA)
- 2000-2001: St. Cornelius (Cahdds Ford, PA) (in residence)
- 2001-2005: St. Pius X (Broomall, PA)
- 2005-2009: Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Morton, PA)
- 2009-2013: Annunciation B.V.M. (Havertown, PA)
- 2013: Leave of Absence
- 2013-2014: Ss. Simon and Jude (West Chester, PA)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Mark Haynes:
Father Mark Haynes was ordained a priest in 1985 and served in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He served in multiple parishes throughout his career. According to media reports, in late 2014, he was arrested and charged with felony-level child pornography for posting two photos on the popular social media site Instagram.
The first photo showed a girl under the age of 14 totally nude and the second photo was a close-up of her naked vaginal area. The username and online identity was of a young girl, but criminal investigators were able to trace the IP address to Ss. Simon and Jude parish in West Chester, Pennsylvania. They also located additional lewd images of children that Haynes had posted online, along with graphic email exchanges purportedly with the young girl in the photos.
After his arrest, the FBI re-arrested him in February 2015 and charged him federally for the child pornography. Haynes eventually pled guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Notably, Haynes spent more than six months at Southdown Institute, a notorious treatment facility for pedophile priests near Toronto, Ontario, in 2013. The reasons for this treatment have not been made public, but based upon the modus operandi of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, it certainly suggests that an allegation of sexual abuse may have been made at that time. Of course, we cannot say that with certainty until we have reviewed his personnel file, but it certainly raises questions about whether he was an accused priest already when he began posting lewd images of children online.
At his sentencing hearing, the judge heard testimony from three women that knew of his sexual abuse of children at St. Ann in Phoenixville. One of the women that Haynes forced her to perform oral sex on him after she told him in the confessional that she had engaged in oral sex with a teenage boy.
Haynes is currently incarcerated at Fort Dix FCI in New Jersey, which the Archdiocese of Philadelphia refers to only as a "private residence" on its website of credibly accused priests. His projected release date is July 21, 2032. Haynes will be incarcerated into his seventies.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. 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 Archdiocese of Philadelphia may have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so please do not delay in reaching out to us.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your options today.