1 Accused in This Religious Order
Fr. John M. Sweeney
Member of the Franciscans of the Primitive Observance (F.P.O.), which he co-founded. Accused publicly by a 37-year-old woman in 5/2019 of sexually abusing her at a leadership retreat when she was a teen in 2000. She said Sweeney would hear her and other teens' confessions, tell them they were possessed and would perform exorcisms on them. The abuse allegedly occurred during the "exorcisms." There were reportedly multiple victims. One case was settled in 11/2020. Included on the Santa Fe archdiocese's list 5/19/2021 which notes he was at Christ in the Desert in 2011.