Fr. Finbar “Barry” Coyle – Diocese of Baton Rouge

Fr. Finbar "Barry" Coyle

Diocese of Baton Rouge (Order of Friars Minor)

Ordained: 1958

Died: 1991

Assigned as follows:

Cathedral of St. Francis (Santa Fe, NM)
St. Peter (Roswell, NM)
Cathedral of St. Francis (Santa Fe, NM)
St. Therese (Fort Wayne, IN)
Chaplain at Doctor's Memorial Hospital (Baton Rouge, LA)
Chaplain at Earl K. Long Hospital (Baton Rouge, LA)
Chaplain at Medical Center of Baton Rouge (Baton Rouge, LA)
Chaplain at Parkland Pavilion (Baton Rouge, LA)
St. Aloysius "in residence" (Baton Rouge, LA)
St. Jean Vianney "daily and weekend mass assistance" (Baton Rouge, LA)
St. Mary of the Angels (New Orleans, LA)

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Fr. Finbar "Barry" Coyle:

Fr. Finbar "Barry" Coyle was ordained a priest in 1958, and served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. According to media reports, he was first named publicly as a priest accused of sexual abuse by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in 2017. No details regarding the age/gender of his alleged victims and the nature of the alleged abuse were provided by the diocese. The Diocese of Baton Rouge listed Fr. Coyle on its list of credibly accused in 2019. No details regarding the age/gender of his alleged victims and nature of the alleged abuse were provided.

In October of 2020, the Franciscan Friars released a roster of 24 priests in Louisiana who had "substantiated child abuse allegations against them," and Fr. Coyle's name appeared on that roster. Following the release of the Franciscan roster, the Archdiocese of New Orleans added Fr. Coyle's name to its list of clergy found to have credible accusations of child molestation against them. The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend received one credible allegation of abuse by Fr. Coyle when he was assigned to St. Therese in Fort Wayne (February 1973-June 1974).

The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend did not provide details regarding the age/gender of his alleged victims and the nature of the alleged abuse, and the diocese added Fr. Coyle's name to its list of credibly accused in December of 2020. Fr. Coyle's name also appears on the Diocese of Las Cruces' list of "persons with credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors within the current geographical boundaries of the diocese of Las Cruces but prior to the erection of the diocese in 1982."

Fr. Coyle went by two different first names. Church directories in Santa Fe listed him as "Finbar Coyle." Once he left Santa Fe, his name was listed as "Barry Coyle."

Finbar "Barry" Coyle died on February 6, 1991.

Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Baton Rouge 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 Baton Rouge 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. Finbar “Barry” Coyle – Diocese of Baton Rouge