Assignment Record– Msgr. John J. Lane

Summary of Case: Msgr. John J. Lane was accused in 2002 of having sexually abused two children while he was pastor of St. Theresa's in North Reading MA, where he served 1949-1971. He died in 1971.

Ordained: 1925
Died: June 2, 1971

     

Start Stop Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes

1925

Boston archbishop was William Henry O'Connell (1907-1944).

1926 St. Joseph's Ipswich MA 2/2  
1925 1926 St. Mary's Rowley MA   This was a mission of St. Joseph's in Ipswich.
1926 1927 St. Brigid's Framingham MA 2/2  
1927 1929 St. John's Canton MA 2/3 Parish had a school with 196-197 boys and 216-222 girls.

1929

O'Connell was succeeded by Richard James Cushing (1944-1970).

1949 St. Peter's Lowell MA 4/5, 3/4, 3/5, 1/4, 2/5 Parish had a school with 382-493 boys and 361-445 girls.
1949 1971 Sanatorium North Reading MA Chaplain  

1949

Humberto Sousa Medeiros replaced Cushing (1970-1983).

1971 St. Theresa's

North Reading

• Accused in 2002 of having sexually abused two children at St. Theresa's. (Sherman letter 2002)

MA 1/2, 1/3

Lane is first referred to as "Monsignor" in the 1961 Directory.

Lane died June 2, 1971.


Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1926-1971)

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Lane's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on Sept. 9, 2010.