Diocese: Archdiocese of New York
Religious Order: Society of African Missions – Ireland Province
Summary of Assignments:
- June 1971: Ordained deacon
- December 20, 1971: Ordained priest
- 1971-1975: Ireland/Zambia
- Attended seminary near Belfast, in his native Ireland. Spent several years in Zambia after ordination and told a reporter in 2012 that he was sent to New York in 1975 to study counseling and psychotherapy.
- 1975-1978: St. Gabriel’s; Bronx, NY
- 1980-1987: Chaplain at Mount St. Michael Academy; Bronx, NY
Notes:
Fr. Lynch and Br. Timothy Brady were accused of sexually abusing three boys at Mount St. Michael Academy in the Bronx for a “couple of months” and ending in 1987. At the time, Lynch was the campus chaplain and Brady was the acting principal. The FBI investigated after school staff members reported the the alleged abuse. Lynch was charged with two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, a felony, two counts of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of endangering the welfare of a minor.
Lynch returned to his native Ireland when the investigation began. He was indicted in 1988. In the 1989 trial, Lynch claimed that he was the subject of a witch hunt because of his AIDS ministry. He was found not guilty at trial because his accuser’s story changed.
In 1992, Lynch returned to London. In July 2012, he admitted to being married to a man for the past 14 years.
Sources: The Independent 4.8.12; United Press International 05.13.88; NY Times 05.14.88; Newsday 05.20.88; Newsday 04.19.89; Newsday 04.20.89; Newsday 02.16.93; Newsday 03.06.93; Huffington Post 07.10.12; Christian Post 07.11.12; http://bishop-accountability.org/
Note: Years in parentheses indicate editions of the Official Catholic Directory. Because of the publication schedule of the Directory, a priest listed at a parish in a given year was also likely at that parish for part of the previous year.