Fr. Sean Leo Rooney
Joined the Salesians in 1958, ordained in 1966. Accused in a 12/2013 suit of sexual abuse of a boy, age 14, at the Salesian minor seminary in Goshen NY, where Rooney taught theology and physics and was the financial administrator. The alleged abuse included removing the boy’s clothing, touching and fondling the boy’s buttocks and genitals skin-on-skin, and masturbating on the boy. The boy was also allegedly abused by Rooney on a school bus trip from Don Bosco Technical High School in Boston to Sacred Heart Retreat House in Ipswich. The complaint also alleged abuse of the boy in 1978 by Fr Joseph Maffei SDB and in 1981 by Bro Alan Scheneman SDB. Rooney was listed on the website of Boston attorney Garabedian 10/31/2014 after a settlement during the year previous. The Salesians confirmed a monetary settlement had been reached. Rooney worked in the Boston, Gary, Paterson, New Orleans, New York, Newark, and Birmingham (arch)dioceses. Laicized in 2008. Lawsuit filed in 2/2020 in NJ. Included on the Salesians list in 3/2020. New suit in 3/2022, also with claims against Sr. Alvin Marie Hagan, SSND. Rooney was living in 3/2022 in Arizona.
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