SCRANTON (PA)
Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre PA)
April 9, 2023
By Geri Gibbons For Times Leader
Accused in grand jury report of covering up abuse
Former Bishop James C. Timlin, the former bishop of the Scranton Diocese who was ensarled in the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal, died Sunday at 95.
Timlin, a Scranton native, was ordained a bishop on Sept. 21, 1976, and on June 7, 1984, became the first priest born within the Diocese of Scranton to serve as its bishop.
Timlin served as the eighth Bishop of the Scranton Dioceses until Sept. 30, 2003, when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.
He went on to serve as administrator of Saint Joseph Church in Wilkes-Barre in 2004, before assuming new duties as rector of Villa Saint Joseph, the home for retired priests of the diocese in Dunmore.
Timlin was beloved by parishioners for much of his tenure as bishop, but his legacy upended in August 2018 when a statewide grand jury released a report naming 59 priests of the Diocese of Scranton who had abused children.
In numerous cases, the allegations of abuse — including rape, sexual assault, underage drinking and an abortion — were suppressed or dismissed by Timlin, the grand jury found.
The report indicated that in spite of his strong public stance against abortion, he has assisted a priest with getting an abortion for a 17-year-old girl that the priest had impregnated, then urging him to “move forward.”
In November 2018, Timlin defied the diocese and attended a national Catholic conference at which U.S. bishops were considering new steps to address the abuse crisis in the American church.
Timlin had been permanently banned from representing the diocese by the church officials, but was allowed to attend conferences and other church functions.
Following the findings of the grand jury, Bambera said that during Timlin’s tenure as head of the Diocese of Scranton, both Timlin and the diocese fell short in their duty to protect children.
In a statement released Sunday, after learning of Timlin’s death, Bambera said, “On behalf of the priests, deacons, religious and laity of the Diocese of Scranton, I extend my sympathy, condolences and prayers to Bishop Timlin’s family and friends.
“Bishop Timlin was a prayerful man devoted to serving the faithful of northeastern and north central Pennsylvania as a priest and bishop for more than 70 years. May God grant Bishop Timlin the gift of eternal life and give consolation to all those who loved and respected him.”
Most responses to the announcement of his death on the diocese official Facebook page, were positive.
Many of the 200 responses to the post referenced Timlin’s deep Scranton roots and his warm personality.
Timlin, was born in the High Works section of the city in 1927 and attended the Holy Rosary Parish with his family.
He attended elementary school at Saint John the Evangelist School in South Scranton and graduated from Holy Rosary High School in North Scranton before leaving to study for the priesthood and being ordained in 1951. Following his ordination, he continued his studies in theology in Rome before returning to his home diocese, at which time he was appointed assistant pastor of Saint John the Evangelist Parish, Pittston, in 1952
On June 12, 1953, the future bishop was assigned to the Cathedral Parish of Saint Peter, Scranton, where he served as assistant pastor until Sept. 12, 1966, when he was named assistant chancellor of the diocese and secretary to the Most Rev. J. Carroll McCormick, sixth bishop of Scranton.
Timlin was elevated to the rank of monsignor when he was named a Prelate of His Holiness by Pope Paul VI on April 23, 1972.
He served as chairman of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission and the Priests’ Education Committee, as well as librarian and secretary at Saint Pius X Seminary in Dalton. On July 26, 1972, he was appointed to the Diocesan Board of Consultors, and on May 30, 1975, was elected president of the Board of Directors of The Catholic Light diocesan newspaper.
Named auxiliary bishop of Scranton on Aug. 3, 1976, Timlin received his episcopal ordination in the Cathedral of Saint Peter on Sept. 21, 1976, when he also began his duties as vicar general of the diocese. He would serve a five-year term as episcopal moderator of the National Association of Holy Name Societies and, as auxiliary bishop, was appointed as pastor of Nativity of Our Lord Parish, South Scranton, on Sept. 4, 1979.
Bishop John J. O’Connor, seventh bishop of Scranton and future Cardinal Archbishop of New York, appointed Timlin chairman of the Saint Pius X Seminary Board of Advisors and chairman of the Preparatory Commission for the Diocesan Synod on July 28, 1983.
Upon O’Connor’s transfer to the Archdiocese of New York in March of 1984, Timlin was elected apostolic administrator by the Diocesan Board of Consultors. He was appointed eighth bishop of Scranton by Pope Saint John Paul II, on April 24, 1984, and was installed on June 7 of that year.