Father Francis Michael Sweeney
Archdiocese of Baltimore/Los Angeles/NY/Paulist
Ordained: 1961
Removed: 1993
Died: 2013
Assignment History
- 1961-1962: Park Street Paulist Center (Boston, MA)
- 1962-1964: St. Lawrence Church (Minneapolis, MN)
- 1964-1967: St. Paul the Apostle Church, Los Angeles, CA)
- 1967-1971: Trinity Washington University (Washington, DC)
- 1971-1972: Newman Center (Columbus, OH)
- 1972-1976: University of Maryland Base Community of Relay (Relay, MD)
- 1972-1976: Paulist Residence, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)
- 1976-1978: St. Marks University Parish (UCSB) (Isla Vista, CA)
- 1978-1982: St. Paul’s College (Washington, DC)
- 1982-1993: University of Maryland Base Community of Relay (Relay, MD)
- 1982-1993: Charlestown Retirement Community, Catonsville, MD
- 1985-1987: St. Mary’s Seminary (Baltimore, MD)
- 1992-1993: Our Lady of the Angels Chapel (Baltimore, MD)
- 1996-2003: Paulist Fathers Residence (Boston, MA)
- 2003-2008: Paulist Fathers Generalate (Jamaica Estates, NY)
- 2006-2013: Paulist Fathers Motherhouse (New York, NY)
Summary of Abuse Allegations Against Father Francis Michael Sweeney
Father Francis Michael Sweeney was a Paulist priest in the Archdiocese of Baltimore in Maryland. In 2002, Fr. Sweeney was listed on the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Credibly Accused of Sexual Abuse of Minors list. In April 2023, Maryland’s Attorney General released a report alleging 156 Catholic clergy members sexually abused at least 600 children over six decades. The report lists the names of the abusers, including Father Sweeney.
According to the AG’s report, in 1993, Fr. Sweeney admitted himself to a mental health institute and disclosed that he had abused two young boys in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The abuse reportedly occurred in the late 1970s to early 1980s at the University Base Community in Relay, Maryland. After evaluation and treatment, Fr. Sweeney was removed from ministry and transferred to Boston.
In 2018, the Paulist Fathers publicized that they had received another allegation of sexual abuse of a minor by Fr. Sweeney.
In 2019, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office interviewed a victim who reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Sweeney in 1991 at age 6.
Fr. Sweeney’s name appears on the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s list of priests credibly accused of sexual misconduct with a minor. Fr. Sweeney is also listed as credibly accused by the Archdiocese of Washington and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. In 2019, Fr. Sweeney was included in the “List of Paulist Fathers with Credible Claims of Sexual Abuse of a Minor” in the subsection “Deceased and Former Paulist Fathers with Credible Claims.” Fr. Sweeney resided in a New York apartment of the Paulist order until his death in 2013.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of Baltimore in Maryland. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Maryland, contact our office today. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse nationwide. We can help. Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.