Father James W. Aylward
Ordained: 1964
Retired: 2005
Assignment History:
- 1964-1965: St. Emydius (San Francisco, CA)
- 1965-1967: St. Dunstan's (Millbrae, CA)
- 1966-1979: Archdiocesan Commission on Church Music (San Francisco, CA)
- 1967-1970: St. Timothy's (San Mateo, CA)
- 1970-1973: St. Bartholomew's (San Mateo, CA)
- 1973-1975: Catholic University (Washington D.C.)
- 1975-1978: St. Gabriel's (San Francisco, CA)
- 1976-1978: Archdiocesan Worship Commission (San Francisco, CA)
- 1977-1979: Archdiocesan Director of Music (San Francisco, CA)
- 1978-1979: Archdiocesan Music and Worship Commission (San Francisco, CA)
- 1979-1985: Archdiocesan Ministry of Worship, Art, and Music (San Francisco, CA)
- 1978-1980: Most Holy Redeemer (San Francisco, CA)
- 1981-1986: Good Shepherd (Pacifica, CA)
- 1986-1990: St. Emydius (San Francisco, CA)
- 1990-1995: St. Sylvester's (San Rafael, CA)
- 1995-1998: St. Catherine of Siena (Burlingame, CA)
- 1998-2000: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
- 2000-2005: Absent on Leave
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father James W Aylward:
According to media reports, a fellow priest found Fr. James W Aylward with a 15-year-old altar boy in a darkened rectory room at Catherine of Siena Church in Burlingame in 1997.
Originally, the former altar boy denied the report, but his parents sued the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The boy had been physically and mentally abused by Aylward for more than a year.
Amidst the allegation, Aylward said that the incident was just "horseplay and wrestling" and only occurred once.
Surprisingly, the fellow priest that found Aylward and was the one who reported it to church leaders and the police was later put on administrative leave.
According to media reports, although the Archdiocese condemns clergy wrestling with minors, Aylward's conduct was termed inappropriate but not sexual, so he remained as a pastor.
In a 1999 deposition, Aylward admitted that he had a history of inappropriate touching of minor boys. He said archdiocese officials had never asked him whether he had engaged in such conduct with other youths.
In 2000, after the deposition, Aylward was placed on leave and the Archdiocese of San Francisco paid $750,000 in a confidential settlement to a former altar boy.
In 2005, Alyward retired. His 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 San Francisco in California. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in one of California's Catholic dioceses, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of San Francisco now have legal options due to a voluntary compensation fund created by the Archdiocese of San Francisco, 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 California and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your options today.