Father Austin Flanagan – Diocese of Scranton
Ordained: 1966
Absent on sick leave: 1990
Removed from ministry: 2002
Assigned as follows:
- 1966 Queen of Peace (Hawley, PA)
- 1966-1969 Nativity BVM (Tunkhannock, PA)
- 1969-1971 St. Mary (Avoca, PA)
- 1971-1973 St. Ignatius (Kingston, PA)
- 1973-1975 St. Mary (Avoca, PA)
- 1975-1979 Little Flower Manor (Wilkes-Barre, PA)
- 1979-1980 St. Thomas the Apostle (Elkland, PA)
- 1980-1982 St. Francis of Assisi (Mildred, PA)
- 1982-1985 St. Mark (Inkerman, PA)
- 1985-1986 St. Agnes (Forest City, PA)
- 1986-1990 Blessed Sacrament & St. John the Baptist (Wilkes-Barre, PA)
- 1990 Absent on Sick Leave
- 1990-1993 St. Thomas Aquinas (Archbald, PA)
- 1993-1994 St. Lucy (Scranton, PA)
- 1994-1998 Most Precious Blood (Hazleton, PA)/St. Joseph Medical Center
- 1998-1999 St. Francis of Assisi (West Hazleton, PA)/St. Joseph Med. Center
- 1999-2002 St. Joseph Medical Center (Hazleton, PA)
Summary of Abuse Allegations Against Father Austin Flanagan:
In 1980, McCormick received a letter from a parishioner who advised that Flanagan was sleeping in sleeping bags with young boys. Parishioners were “disgusted” with the priest, who would not let anyone into the rectory when he had boys sleeping over.
In June 1990, Flanagan admitted himself to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Harrison, New York. Flanagan related that one month prior to his admission to St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York in 1990, he had been questioned about fondling two boys at a summer camp two years earlier. He did not deny that it happened. He also acknowledged to those treating him that “other similar instances” had happened in the past.
Flanagan continued in active ministry until he was removed in 2002 following the adoption of the Dallas Charter by U.S. Bishops. However, neither the grand jury report nor the assignment history provided by the Diocese of Scranton provide any information about his whereabouts from 1999 to 2002.
In 2005, the Diocese of Scranton was contacted by a 34-year-old who claimed he was sodomized by Flanagan in the rectory at St. Mary’s in 1973. Flanagan denied any wrongdoing.
Flanagan is still alive and remains a priest of the Diocese of Scranton (without parish assignment). According to the Diocese, he resides in the Scranton area. He is 77 years old.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Scranton. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Pennsylvania, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Scranton now have legal options to recover damages due to a compensation fund created for victims. Contact us at (954) 641-2100 or adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com today.