Father John Feeney
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Ordained: 1952
Removed: 1986
Laicized: 2005
Assigned as follows:
- 1953 St. Joseph (Green Bay, WI)
- 1954 Holy Rosary Kewaunee, WI)
- 1955 St. Joseph’s (Sturgeon Bay, WI)
- 1956 St. Rose’s (Clintonville, WI)
- 1957-1958 St. Peter’s (Oshkosh, WI)
- 1959-1961 Holy Redeemer (Two Rivers, WI)
- 1962-1963 St. Therese’s (Appleton, WI)
- 1964-1965 St. Mary’s/Immaculate Conception (Chilton, WI)
- 1966 Ss. Edward and Isidore (Flintville, WI)
- 1967-1969 Holy Family (Elcho, WI)
- 1970-1973 St. Francis Xavier (De Pere, WI)
- 1974-1976 St. Benedict (Suamico, WI)
- 1977-1979 St. Nicholas (Freedom, WI)
- 1980-1983 St. Mary (Stockbridge, WI)
- 1984 Absent on Leave
- 1985-1986 St. Francis de Sales (Las Vegas, NV)
- 1987-1990 Absent on sick leave (location unknown)
- 1991-2003 Retired (Los Angeles, CA)
- 2004-2011 Prison (Wisconsin)
- 2005 Laicized
- Nov. 2011 Halfway house (Appleton, WI)
- 2012 (Missouri)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father John Feeney:
Father John Feeney was ordained a priest in 1952 who served in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as an extern priest from the Diocese of Green Bay. According to media reports, he has been accused of sexually abusing at least a dozen children, both male and female throughout his career. He was transferred among 18 parishes in the diocese within 30 years.
In 1978, the parents of two young teenage brothers reported to church officials and the police that Father Feeney had sexually abused their sons. The Diocese of Green Bay assured them it would be taken care of and they dropped the charges. In 1979, two more mothers brought their complaints about Father Feeney’s alleged sexual abuse to law enforcement, but the prosecutor persuaded them not to press charges.
In 1983, Green Bay Bishop Wycislo told Father Feeney that he needed to find a job in another diocese, or face going to prison or treatment. Shortly thereafter, he began working in the Diocese of Reno Las Vegas and the Diocese of San Diego. Father Feeney was removed from ministry in 1986 after being accused of smuggling drug paraphernalia and women’s underwear into a Nevada prison in exchange for sex with prisoners.
In 2002, he was arrested for the 1978 sexual assaults of the two young brothers in Wisconsin. He was convicted in 2004 and sentenced to 15 years in prison. In 2005, he was laicized by the Vatican. In November 2011, he was released from prison to a Wisconsin halfway house. He is a registered sex offender.
According to media reports, in May 2012, two survivors won their case against the Diocese of Green Bay as the Diocese was found liable for hiding Father Feeney’s history of child sexual abuse. A new trial was granted when the Diocese challenged the ruling. The case was ultimately settled.
In October 2012, a Las Vegas jury also found in favor of another of Father Feeney’s sexual abuse survivors. Once again the verdict was challenged and it was reversed on jurisdictional grounds in 2015 by the Nevada Supreme Court.
Father Feeney’s name and all his pertinent information while serving in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles was released in accordance with a settlement agreement in 2013. His last known whereabouts were in Missouri.
In 2019, Father Feeney’s name was included on multiple dioceses’ lists of clergy credibly accused of child sexual abuse including the Diocese of Green Bay, Diocese of Las Vegas, and the Archdiocese of Omaha updated list.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest or other Catholic clergy in California State, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.