10 Accused in This Religious Order
Fr. Francis C. Byrne
"Frank." Attended the Columban Fathers Seminary in Bristol, RI. Assigned until 1973 in the Columbans' Philippines Foreign Missions in Binalbagan Negros, Diocese of Bacolod, after which he spent three years based at the the St. Columban Retreat House in Buffalo, NY. Left the priesthood in 1976. Named publicly as credibly accused by the Columbans U.S. Province on its list in 2/2022, which notes multiple allegations of abuse occurring in 1973. Byrne was reportedly assigned in 1973 to the order's mission center in Chicago. Per the Official Catholic Directory he was at that time assigned to the St. Columban Retreat House in Derby, NY. Byrne died in 2011.
Fr. John H. Crafton
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Columbans' U.S. Province on its list in 2/2022. One allegation of abuse noted, occurring in the 1960s. Per the Official Catholic Directory, Crafton was assigned throughout the 1960s to the Columbans' Foreign Mission Society headquarters in Omaha, NE. He died in 1989.
Fr. John F. Roche
"Jack." Named publicly as credibly accused by the Columbans U.S. Province on its list in 2/2022. Noted to have a single allegation against him, of abuse 1973-1975. Per the Official Catholic Directory, Roche was assigned during the time in question to St. Patrick's in Stoneham, MA. He died in 2015.
Fr. Brian A. Gallagher
Fr. Thomas Glennon
Fr. Joseph B. Hanrahan
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Columbans' U.S. Province on its list in 2/2022. A single allegation is noted, of abuse occurring in 1976. Hanrahan died in 1990. Per the Official Catholic Directory, he was assigned in 1976 to St. Columban in St. Columbans, NE.
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Fr. Francis J. Keaney
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Columbans' U.S. Province on its list in 2/2022. Multiple allegations noted, of abuse occurring in the 1980s. Per the Official Catholic Directory, Keaney was assigned in the Philippines in the 1980s. (We are placing him in the Omaha archdiocese, where the Columban Fathers' foreign missions office was headquartered.) Keaney died in 2018 in Winchester, MA.
Fr. Robert J. Lamby
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Columbans' U.S. Province on its list in 2/2022. Multiple allegations noted, occurring in the 1970s. Left the Columbans in 2000. Per the Official Catholic Directory and news archives, Lamby was assigned 1975-1977 to the Diocese of Ozamis in Mendanao, Philippines; from 2/1977 until at least 5/1977 to St. Lawrence Parish in the Diocese of Buffalo NY (his home diocese; he does not appear in the 1978 or 1979 volumes of the Directory), and in the Archdiocese of Boston at St. Martha's in Plainville 1979-1981. He was an U.S. Air Force chaplain 1981 until about 1996, known to have been based in VA, SC, and TX. He was assigned 1997 until his death in 2002 to St. Mary of the Assumption in Mentor OH, in the Diocese of Cleveland.
Fr. Michael M. MacCourt
From Northern Ireland, where he was ordained in 1923 then sent to the U.S. Worked at St Columban's in NE 1923-1924 and St. Columban's in Silver Creek NY 1924-1930. He then returned to Ireland on sick leave 1930-1938. While there he worked in parishes and as a chaplain. Sent back to the U.S. in 1938. Known to have worked in CA, NY and Silver Creek NY, where he died in 1977. Named publicly as credibly accused by the Columbans' U.S. Province on its list in 2/2022 (name spelled "McCourt.") A single allegation is noted, of abuse in 1940. Per the Official Catholic Directory, MacCourt was assigned in 1940 to St. Columban's in San Diego CA.
Fr. Seán John McGrath
