Rev. John Francis Warner

Summary of Case: A priest of the Youngstown diocese, Warner was placed on administrative leave in Oct. 2011 after an accusation emerged that he had sexually abused an altar boy, who was about 13 years-old, over thirty years previously. The Diocesan Review Board determined that the accusation was credible.

Ordained: 1970

   

Start Stop Parish/Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes

1970

Youngstown bishop was James William Malone (1968-1995)

1973 St. Peter's Canton OH 2/3

St. Peter's had a school with 248-204 students.

A Rev. John F. Warner is also listed in the 1973, 1974, and 1975 Directories at St. Patrick's in Kent, OH.
1973 1976 St. Mary's Warren OH 2/3  
1976 1982 St. Edward's

Youngstown

• Warner was accused in 2011 of having sexually abused a 13 year-old boy altar boy during his time at St. Edward's.

OH 3/4, 2/3 St. Edward's had a school with 616-441 students.
1982 1984 St. Joan of Arc's Canton OH 2/3, 2/2

St. Joan of Arc's had a school with 406 students.

1984 1992 St. Vincent de Paul Vienna OH 1/1  
1992   St. Bernadette's Masury OH temporary administrator This assignment is per news reports.
1992 1995 St. Aloysius East Liverpool OH 1/1 St. Aloysius had a school with 265-246 students.

1995

Malone was succeeded as Youngstown bishop by Thomas Joseph Tobin (1995-2005)

1996 Our Lady of Perpetual Help Aurora OH assistant pastor Warner is not indexed in the 1996 Directory. This assignment is per news reports.
1996 1999 St. Paul's North Canton OH 2/2 St. Paul's had a school with 460 students, and a religious education program with 775-750 students.
1999   St. Elizabeth Medical Center Youngstown OH part-time chaplain Warner is not indexed in the 1996 Directory. This assignment is per news reports.
1998 2010 Defenders of the Bond Youngstown OH    
1999 2003 SS. Peter and Paul's Youngstown OH 1/1 SS. Peter and Paul's had a religious education program with 62-26 students.

2003

George Vance Murry, S.J. replaced Tobin
(2007-)

Oct. 2011 SS. Philip and James' Canal Fulton OH 1/1

SS. Philip and James' had a school with 221-147 students, and a religious education program with 160-97 students.

Warner was placed on administrative leave in Oct. 2011 due to an accusation that he had sexually abused a minor thirty years before, at St. Edward's in Youngstown. The diocese learned of the allegation in June 2011. The Diocesan Review Board deemed the accusation to be credible. Warner denied the accusation. Warner was sent to a treatment facility, per the diocese.

 

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1971-2010)

• Priest Removed from Ministry Amid Sexual Allegations, WKBN, October 9, 2011
• Priest Placed on Leave, Tribune Chronicle, October 10, 2011
• Canal Fulton Priest Removed Amid Allegation of Abuse, By Colette M. Jenkins, Beacon Journal, October 10, 2011
• Bishop Addresses Sex Allegations against Priest, WKBN, October 10, 2011
• Bishop Addresses Sex Allegations against Priest, WYTV, October 10, 2011
• Canal Fulton Priest Resigns, Accused of Sexual Misconduct, IndeOnline, October 10, 2011
• SNAP Applauds Brave Victim in Youngstown, By Zach Hiner, SNAP, October 10, 2011
• Former St. Ed's Priest Resigns Amid Sexual Misconduct Charges, The Vindicator, October 10, 2011
• Bishop: Priest in Treatment, By Adam Ferrise, Tribune Chronicle, October 11, 2011
• Bishop Vows Openness with Sex-Misconduct Case, By Christine Keeling and Ashley Luthern, Tre Vindicator, October 11, 2011



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 Warner'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 Oct. 20, 2011