Assignment Record– Rev. Joseph J. Brennan

Summary of Case: Joseph J. Brennan was a priest of the Camden NJ diocese, ordained in 1945. He was assigned to parishes
in Ocean City, Somers Point, Westmont, Brooklawn, Camden and Swedesboro and was a hospital chaplain in Camden for two
years in the 1950s. Notably, his status was Absent on Sick Leave 1963-1966. Brennan died September 28, 1976. Brennan was accused
in a lawsuit settled in January 2016 of sexual abuse of a child at a Brooklawn parish 1957-59.


Born: May 7, 1914
Ordained: 1945
Died: September 28, 1976


Start Stop Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes

1945

Camden bishop was Bartholomew Joseph Eustace (1937-1956).

 1952 St. Augustine's Ocean City NJ 2/2 St. Augustine's had a school with 103-163 students.
1945 1946 St. Joseph's Somers Point NJ   This was a mission of St. Augustine's in Ocean City.
1952 1954 Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Camden NJ Chaplain  
1954 1955 Holy Saviour Westmont NJ   2/3 Holy Saviour had a school with 406 students.

1955

Eustace was succeeded as Camden bishop by Justin Joseph McCarthy (1957-1959), followed by Celestine Joseph Damiano (1960-1967).

 1963 St. Maurice's

Brooklawn

• Brennan was accused in a lawsuit settled in January 2016 of sexual abuse of a child at St. Maurice's 1957-59.

 NJ 1/1, 1/2  
1963 1966 Absent on Sick Leave        

1966

Damiano was replaced by George Henry Guilfoyle (1968-1989).

 1969 St. Joan of Arc Camden NJ 3/4, 2/4 St. Joan of Arc had a school with 393-408 students.
1969 1976 St. Joseph's Swedesboro NJ 1/3, 1/2 Brennan died September 28, 1976.

 

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons 1946-1977)

• Rev. Joseph J. Brennan Memorial, Findagrave.com
• Assignment Histories for 16 Clerics Named in Recent Settlements by Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, BishopAccountability.org, March 28, 2016

 

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Brennan_'s career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on April 5, 2016.