Fr. Thomas M. O’Donnell
First named publicly as accused in 8/14/2018 PA Grand Jury Report. Living in the Fort Myers area of FL in 8/2018. Complaints in 1988 from parents about O’Donnell’s behavior with their sons, about age 12. Said to make the boys shower after basketball games, then weigh the boys while they were naked. Had been ordered by Diocese in 6/1987 to stay out of the boys’ locker rooms. Appointed by Bishop Wuerl in 6/2000 to the Marriage Tribunal, and relieved of his parish assignment. Complaints from parents about O’Donnell continued through mid-3/2002. Assigned by Wuerl in 11/2005 to a parish; its school principal soon reported complaints from families about O’Donnell; one man said he reported concerns in 1981 but nothing done. Alleged in a 1/1/2019 lawsuit to have taken a 13-year-old boy in 1976 to the Super Bowl in Miami, where he sexually abused the boy repeatedly. His accuser said the abuse started when he was age 12 and included anal and oral intercourse. Included on the diocese’s list of accused in 2019, showing faculties were restricted. Per the list in 10/2022 he was removed from ministry.
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