Father Donald G. Timone
Archdiocese of New York
Ordained: 1960
Removed: 2018
Assigned as follows:
- 1961-1965: Holy Rosary (New York, NY)
- 1966-1970: St. Joseph’s (Millbrook, NY)
- 1971-1974: Our Lady of Lourdes High School (Poughkeepsie, NY)
- 1975-1976: Regina Coeli (Hyde-Park-on-Hudson, NY)
- 1977-1982: St. Mary Church (Newburgh, NY)
- 1983: Mt. St. Mary College (Newburgh, NY)
- 1984: Regina Coeli Church (Hyde Park-on-Hudson, NY)
- 1985: Mount St. Alphonsus (Esopus, NY)
- 1986: Department of Education (New York, NY)
- 1987: Regina Coeli (Hyde-Park-on-Hudson, NY)
- 1989-2001: Sacred Heart (Newburgh, NY)
- 2005-2009: St. Joseph (Middletown, NY)
- 2015-2018: Retired; St. Joseph (Middletown, NY)
- 2019-2020: Unknown
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father Donald G.Timone:
Fr. Donald G.Timone was a longtime chaplain for Courage and Encourage International, an apostolate to help homosexuals “live chaste lives.” He had also worked at times as a chaplain, spiritual advisor, and teacher at John Paul the Great Catholic University in California, and assisted at a Rancho Santa Fe parish.
According to media reports, in 2003, he was accused of sexually abusing a minor teenage boy he was counseling from 1966 to 1970. This was similar to an allegation that had been reported in 2002. Timone was suspended temporarily. After an internal investigation, he was cleared to return to work and he served until his retirement in 2015.
In 2015, one of Timone’s alleged victims died by suicide. In 2017, at least two settlements were awarded through the Archdiocese’s compensation program (IRCP). Despite this knowledge, Timone remained in his assignment at St. Joseph in Middletown, New York.
On December 4, 2018, the Archdiocese certified in a letter to the Diocese of San Diego that Timone had never been accused of child sexual abuse, and that he was fit to work in the Diocese of San Diego. Timone worked there until December 20, 2018, when Diocesan authorities learned about his history of sexually abusing minors from a news article. Timone was once again suspended by the Archdiocese of New York, and its review board is set to revisit the case.
In April 2019, Timone’s name appeared on the Archdiocese of New York’s list of clergy credibly accused of sex abuse of minors. Claims against him are eligible to be settled through the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP).
In July 2019, Timone was named in a lawsuit filed by a man claiming the church had covered up the child sexual abuse histories of Timone and Msgr. John Paddack while keeping them in ministry.
Timone’s current whereabouts and whether he has access to children are unknown.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of New York. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest or other Catholic clergy in New York State, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of New York now have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in New York and nationwide. We can help.
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