NEW YORK
Syracuse.com

By John O’Brien | jobrien@syracuse.com
on February 09, 2016

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Catholic Diocese of Syracuse has closed its retirement home for priests after 59 years, citing financial concerns.

The decision to close the Tommy Coyne Residence for Priests in December was unrelated to concerns raised last year by survivors of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of priests, diocese spokeswoman Danielle Cummings said.

The diocese had been planning for two years to close the home because of the expense, Cummings said. She wouldn’t say how many priests were living in the 22-room home when it closed.

“The building simply was becoming too costly and the repairs needed did not justify continuing it as a retirement residence for priests,” she said.

Over the past 15 years, the facility was home to at least four priests against whom the diocese had found credible allegations of…