Denis Lyons

Ordained: 1958

The Diocese of Orange has paid more than $4 million to settle sex-abuse lawsuits involving Denis Lyons. Alleged incidents involving Lyons include:

Inappropriate behavior toward two male adults who worked at St. John the Baptist Church, and is placed in counseling.

Molesting a teenage boy in 1979 during counseling sessions at St. John the Baptist Church in Costa Mesa and during visits to the boy’s home.

Molesting a boy from Dana Point in 1979 at St. John the Baptist.

Inappropriate advances towards two boys around 1979, when the boys were 14 and 16.

Molesting a Costa Mesa 3rd-grader in 1994 and 1995.

Lyons was removed from ministry in 2002.  In 2003, he was arrested and charged with abuse of teens.  He was arrested on new charges in 2009 and pled guilty to his charges.  His status with the Diocese of Orange is a “life of prayer and penance.”

Father Lyons's Assignments

Articles about Father Lyons

• Los Angeles Times - OC Priest is Focus of Suit Over Alleged Molestation (11/02/2009)
• Los Angeles Times - OC Parish's 1-2 Scandal Punch (30/04/2002)
• Orange County Register - Priest Faces New Molestation Accusation (10/02/2009)