Msgr. John P. Heaney: Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Msgr. John P. Heaney

John P. Heaney
1953: Ordained
  • 1954-1960: St. Agnes, San Francisco, CA
  • 1961: Archdiocesan Missionaries, San Francisco, CA
  • 1961: St. Peter’s, San Francisco, CA
  • 1962-1965: Director of Sodalities, San Francisco, CA
  • 1962-1968: Cathedral of St. Mary, San Francisco, CA; Sacred Heart High School, San Francisco, CA
  • 1969-1970: On duty outside the Archdiocese; Notre Dame University, South Bend, IN
  • 1971-1974: Marin Catholic High School, Kentfield, CA
  • 1974-1979: St. Rita’s, Fairfax, CA
  • 1976-1977: Archdiocesan Consultors, San Francisco, CA
  • 1976-2002: San Francisco Police Department Chaplain, San Francisco, CA
  • 1977: Personnel Board
  • 1980-1995: Apostleship of the Sea, San Francisco, CA
  • 1999-2009: Retired
  • 1/29/2010: Died

In 2002, two brothers came forward alleging child sexual abuse by Msgr. John P. Heaney starting in approximately 1961 in the San Francisco area. Msgr. Heaney spent more than 30 years working as the chaplain of San Francisco’s Police Department where he is reported to have interacted with over 10,000 children. In 2002, Msgr. Heaney was placed on administrative leave due to the allegations and was later criminally charged with multiple felony counts relating to child sexual abuse. However, in 2003 the charges were dropped due to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that changed the law surrounding statutes of limitation. Msgr. Heaney’s whereabouts and whether he had access to children from 2003 until his death in 2010 are unknown.