Diocese: Archdiocese of New York
Religious Order: Jesuits (SJ)
Summary of Assignments:
- 1950-1953: Fordham Preparatory School, Bronx, NY; 1950-1953
- Instructor
- 1956-1957: College of the Sacred Heart, Woodstock, MD; 1956-1957
- 1957-1958: St. Robert’s Hall, Pomfret, CT; 1957-1958
- 1958-1959: Cardinal Spellman Hall at Fordham University, New York, NY; 1958-1959
- 1959-1960: St. Peter’s Preparatory School, Jersey City, NJ; 1959-1960
- 1960-1980: Fordham Preparatory School, Bronx, NY; 1960-1980
- 1960-1970: Headmaster
- 1970-1975: Headmaster-President
- 1975-1979: President
- 1980-1983: Leonard Neale House, Washington DC; 1980-1983
- 1983-1985: Fairfield College Preparatory School, Fairfield, CT; 1983-1985
- Principal
- 1985-1994: Jesuit Community at Fordham University, Bronx, NY; 1985-1994
- 1987-1991: Fordham University, Bronx, NY; 1987-1991
- 1986: Assistant to the President
- 1987: Vice-President for University Relations
- 1995-2002: The Gregorian University Foundation, New York, NY; 1995-2002
- 1994-2008: America Magazine, New York, NY; 1994-2008
- 1995-2002: Pontifical Gregorian University; Rome
- President of the fundraising foundation
- 2013: Jogues Retreat Center, Cornwall, NY; 2013
Notes:
O’Brien was accused of sexually abusing a student while working at Fordham Prep in the Bronx from 1964 to 1966. On January 30, 1997, the Jesuits, the New York Archdiocese, and Fordham Prep settled the lawsuit for $25,000.
In an anonymous interview with the Fordham University newspaper, the victim said O’Brien molested him on numerous occasions, including on a trip to Europe with O’Brien and five other students. When the he met O’Brien in 1997, O’Brien blamed his actions on alcohol abuse and refused to apologize.
Sources: Settlement 01.30.97; NY Times 10.21.08; Fordham Ram 11.07.08; The Paper of Fordham University 11.20.08; SNAP Statement 02.11.09; Fairfield Mirror 10.15.09; Connecticut Post 10.16.09; The Journal 09.07.10; The Paper 08.09.16; Fordham Ram 08.16.16; Fordham University the paper; http://bishop-accountability.org/; Detailed BA.org Assignment Record
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.