Rev. Vincent I. Breen-Assignment Record

Rev. Msgr. Vincent Ignatius Breen

Summary of Case: In 1982, Breen, then age 70, agreed to retire, seek treatment, and leave the area to avoid prosecution for fondling eight girls, ages 7-14, over a 1 1/2 year period. Estimated to have sexually abused possibly over 100 children. Vicar General of the Diocese, William Macchi, stated that he had first heard "rumors" of Msgr. Breen's 'activities' three years prior. Breen died in 1986.

Ordained: 1936
Died: December 23, 1986

Start	Stop	Assignment	Town	State	Position	Notes
1936 San Francisco bishop was John Joseph Mitty (1935-1961)	1938	St. Mary's	Stockton	CA	3/4, 2/4	Parish had a school with 188-207 boys and 222-262 girls.
1938 Baltimore-Washington bishop was Michael Joseph Curley (1921-1947)	1942	Catholic University	Washington	DC		Earned a PhD in economics. (The Argus [Fremont CA] May 9, 2005)
1942	1944	Nativity (for Slavs)	San Francisco	CA	2/2 In residence.	Breen was Assistant Superintendent of Schools.
1944	1946	St. Joseph Military Academy	Belmont	CA	Chaplain	St. Joseph's was an elementary school with 225-237 students, both day and resident.
1944	1952	Serra High School for Boys	San Mateo	CA	Principal	School had 89-366 students. Breen referred to as "Very Rev."
1952	1953	St. Mary's	Walnut Creek	CA	1/2 Administrator
1953 Oakland bishop was Floyd Lawrence Begin (1962-1977), followed by John Stephen Cummins (1977-2003)	1982	Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit)	Fremont • In 1976 there was an investigation of Breen, lead by another child molester, Msgr. George Francis. (The Argus [Fremont CA] May 9, 2005). The results were not made public. A 1981 police investigation found that Breen had molested at least 8 girls, ages 7-14 (San Jose Mercury News (CA) December 31, 1987). No criminal charges were filed, on the condition that Breen agree to retire, leave the area, and seek counseling. He may have molested more than 100 children (Pioneer News, 5-19-05).	CA	1/2, 1/1, 1/3,1/4 Pastor	Holy Ghost was in Centerville until 1957, when Centerville became a district of newly incorporated Fremont. A parish school was established in 1956. It had 135-390 students. The parish was in the San Francisco archdiocese until 1962, when the area became part of the newly established Oakland diocese.
1982	1986	Retired				Died Dec. 31, 1986.

Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: Kenedy & Sons, 1936-1986).

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 & 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.