Patrick Shannon

Ordained: 1972
Diocese: Diocese of Harrisburg

From Report I of the 40th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:

On November 2, 2005, the Diocese of Harrisburg was copied on a letter written to the Provincial Superior of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in Wilmington, Delaware.  The letter was written by an individual who alleged that Father Patrick Shannon sexually abused him in 1973 as follows.  The victim worked at Camp Brisson in Maryland as a counselor in training. He was 16 years old at the time. While on a camping trip overnight, Shannon shared his blanket with the victim.  Once under the blanket, Shannon fondled the victim’s genitals underneath his clothing. The victim told Shannon, “no.” Shannon responded, “sometime [sic] we say no when we really mean yes.”  Shannon eventually stopped molesting the victim.  The victim woke up in the morning to Shannon having his arm wrapped around him and his genitals cupped in Shannon’s other hand.

The Diocese of Harrisburg removed Shannon’s faculties to practice ministry.

Additional information regarding the widespread sexual abuse of children within the Catholic Dioceses of Pennsylvania and the systemic cover up by senior church officials is compiled in the Pennsylvania Diocese Victim’s Report published by the Pennsylvania Attorney General following a two-year grand jury investigation.  A complete copy of the Report is available on the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s website.