7 Havertown Priests On 'Credibly Accused' List

HAVERTOWN, PA — One priest with a connection to the Havertown area are part of a comprehensive list of Catholic clergy who have been "credibly accused" of sexual abuse.

The searchable database — which includes hundreds of priests accused from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, as well as dioceses in Scranton, Allentown, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and more — comes on the heels of a grand jury report that revealed hundreds of "predator" priests across the state.

The list, put together by Patch partner ProPublica, includes dozens of other priests who served in neighboring municipalities.

Here's the list of clergy who have worked in the Havertown area and have been credibly accused of sexually abusing minors.

James J. Coonan

Coonan was ordained in 1965 and served as the Assistant Pastor at Sacred Heart in Havertown from September 1985 to May 1988.

He went on to serve a "life of Prayer and Penance" until July 2016.

He is deceased.

Thomas J. Smith

Smith served as the Assistant Pastor at Annunciation B.V.M. in Havertown from January 1982 to June 1987.

He was ordained in 1973.

Smith has been laicized (defrocked).

William T. Joseph

Joseph lived at a private residence in Havertown from Feb. 1998 to April 1998.

He was ordained in 1966.

Is now deceased.

Stanley M. Gana

He was the Assistant Pastor at Sacred Heart in Havertown from Jan. 1985 to March 1986.

Gana was ordained in 1970.

He began a "life of prayer and penance" in 2005.

He is now deceased.

John J. Murray

Murray was ordained in 1947.

After that he was the Assistant Pastor at Sacred Heart in Havertown from June 1948 to March 1953.

He died after living a "life of Prayer and Penance."

Mark J. Haynes

Haynes, who has been laicized, was the Parochial Administrator at Annunciation B.V.M., in Havertown from January 2009 to June 2009.

He then was the Pastor at Annunciation B.V.M. from June 2009 to February 2013.

Haynes was ordained in 1985.

John P. Schmeer

Ordained in 1964, Schmeer was the Assistant Pastor at Sacred Heart in Havertown from June 1964 to June 1965.

He later lived at Sacred Heart from June 1967 to June 1971.

Schmeer is serving a "life of prayer and penance."

>>Full List Released Of PA Catholic Clergy Accused Of Sex Assault

The Pennsylvania grand jury investigation, which prompted ProPublica's project, was described by the Associated Press as the "biggest and most exhaustive ever" into priest sex abuse by an individual state. The investigation revealed many priests admitted to their actions and were allowed to continue in the ministry for years despite having confessed to molesting children.

>>300 PA Priests Sexually Abused 1,000 Children: Grand Jury

In one case, after a priest confessed to anal and oral rape of at least 15 boys, a bishop who later met with him commended him as "a person of candor and sincerity."

Another priest who was "grooming his middle school students for oral sex," was accused by several victims before he was removed 15 years later, the grand jury found.

The Pennsylvania grand jury report was pivotal in spurring dioceses around the country to release lists of abusers associated with their churches, ProPublica said.