John Peter Lenihan
Ordained: 1969
In 1991, John Lenihan entered therapy after admitting to sexual contact with a young girl in 1978. Police briefly investigated Lenihan and recorded an admission to sexual contact on a phone call between Lenihan and the woman. However, the criminal statute of limitations had expired and police were unable to identify other potential victims, so Lenihan faced no charges. A civil suit brought by the woman was settled for $25,000, and Lenihan continued to work as a priest until he was removed in 2001 and laicized in 2002. When another woman brought a civil suit in 2001 alleging that Lenihan molested her when she was a child in the 1970s, it resulted in a settlement for $1.2 million.
Father Lenihan's Assignments
| Placement | City/State | Date(s) |
|---|---|---|
| St. Angela Merici | Brea, CA | 1974..1976 |
| St. Norbert | Orange, CA | 1977..1981 |
| St. Boniface | Anaheim, CA | 1982..1994 |
| St. Edward | Dana Point, CA | 1995..2001 |
| Removed | 2002 |
