Fr. Jonathan Franklin

Diocese of Shreveport (Benedictine)

Ordained: 1956

Removed: 1959

Death: 1986

Assigned as Follows:

Ascension of Our Lord (Donaldsonville, LA)
St. Gabriel (New Orleans, LA)
St. Mary's Assumption (Cottonport, LA)
St. Anthony (Cottonport, LA)
St. Joseph Church (Tensas, LA)
St. Louis Church (Glenmora, LA)
Holy Trinity (Shreveport, LA)
St. Anne Catholic Church (Pensacola, FL)

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Fr. Jonathan Franklin:

Fr. Jonathan Franklin was ordained as a Benedictine order priest in 1956, for the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia who served in the Diocese of Shreveport. According to media reports, he has had multiple allegations of abuse made against him that stretch over three decades while working in New Orleans, Alexandria, Savannah, Atlanta, Pensacola, and Cullman.

According to the Archdiocese of New Orleans' 2018 clergy report regarding sexual abuse of minors, an allegation against Fr. Franklin was received in 1959 and referred to abuse that occurred in the late 1950's. It also notes that Fr. Franklin was removed from ministry in the Archdiocese that same year. He has also been accused specifically of abuse in Louisiana in 1966 that eventually settled in 2005.

In 1975, Fr. Franklin moved to St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Alabama. A decade later, he was arrested for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy in 1985 when he was temporarily assigned to St. Anne's in Pensacola, Florida. He committed suicide in August of 1986, just before his trial for sexually assaulting the boy was about to begin.

Fr. Franklin has been included on the Baton Rouge diocese's list in 2019, Birmingham diocese's list as of December 14th, 2018. He is also named on the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee 2020 list of priests that have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor or minors.

In February 2019, the Diocese of Alexandria released Fr. Jonathan Franklin's name on its list of credibly accused priests assigned to Northern Louisiana before the Diocese of Shreveport became its own diocese in 1986. The list notes an allegation of child sexual abuse in 1966 against the priest was brought before the review board in 2004. The church settled with the victim in 2005. A review of Fr. Franklin's file in 2019 shows more credible evidence of sexual abuse involving male minors.

Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Shreveport in Louisiana. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Louisiana, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Shreveport may 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 Louisiana and nationwide. We can help.

Fr. Jonathan Franklin – Diocese of Shreveport