Br. Bernard Connelly, O.F.M.
Assignments:
- 1945-1946 Old Mission, San Luis Rey, CA
- 1946-1948 Old Mission, Santa Barbara, CA
- 1948-1949 Old Mission, San Miguel, CA (Novitiate)
- 1949-1950 St. Joseph’s, Los Angeles, CA
- 1950-1953 St. Francis Retreat, San Juan Bautista, CA
- 1953-1958 Serra Retreat, Malibu, CA
- 1958-1964 Ascension, Portland, OR
- 1964 St. Francis, Spokane, WA
- 1965-1967 Unknown
- 1968 St. Anne’s, Spokane, WA
- 1969-1970 Unknown
- 1971-1978 St. Francis, Provo, UT (Parish Associate)
- 1978 St. Elizabeth’s, Oakland, CA (Novitiate Staff & Ministry to Aged & Infirm)
- 1979 Elected Definitor of the Province; Vocation Secretary; Editor of West Friars
- 1980 St. Anthony Seminary; Vocation Director of the Province; Promoter for SAS
- 1981 Unknown
- 1982 Director of Associate Program, Formation
- 1983-1984 Unknown
- 1985-1987 St. Anthony’s Seminary, Santa Barbara, CA
- 1988 San Xavier Mission, Tucson, AZ
- 1989-1992 Unknown
- 1993 St. Francis Retreat, San Juan Bautista, CA
- 1994-1998 Unknown
- 1999 Died
At least one survivor has come forward alleging child sexual abuse by Br. Bernard Connelly, O.F.M. (also known as Br. Berard William Connolly), a member of the Franciscan Order, from approximately 1985 to 1987, while he worked at St. Anthony’s Seminary in Santa Barbara. Br. Connelly was sent to The Institute of Living, an institution known for treating priests accused of child sexual abuse. Br. Connelly has been named in at least two civil lawsuits. In 2012, Br. Connelly’s personnel file was released to the public. Br. Connelly was included in the Diocese of Spokane’s list of admitted, proven, or credibly accused perpetrators of sexual abuse and in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ list of priests accused of sexual misconduct