| Assignment Record- Rev. Edward F. (Eddie or Ed) Fitz-Henry
Summary of Case: Ordained in Ireland, Fitz-Henry spent his career in the Monterey, CA diocese. He was removed from active ministry in February 2011 when accused of having sexually abused a 14 year-old boy in 2005. The abuse is said to have included the priest asking the boy questions and making comments of a sexual nature during confession. An investigation revealed an allegation from 1992 as well. That incident may have involved two boys, who were brothers. The family received a settlement from the diocese, and Fitz-Henry was sent to Servants of the Paraclete in New Mexico for treatment in May 1992. In 1995 he was made pastor of a Monterey parish. Born: Sept. 18, 1958 in Dublin, Ireland Educated: Colaiste Eoin, Finglas, Ireland (1972-1976); Holy Cross College, Dublin, Ireland (1977-1980); All Hallows College (Seminary), Drumcondra, Dublin, Ireland (1981-1984); Baccalaureate in Divinity. Ordained: 1985 |
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| Start | Stop | Parish | Town/Accusations | State | Position | Notes |
1985 Monterey bishop was Thaddeus Anthony Shubsda (1982-1991) |
1986 | Special Assignment | Monterey | CA | Address given is that of the Chancery (P.O. Box 2048 Monterey, CA) | |
| 1986 | 1988 | Madonna Del Sasso | Salinas | CA | 2/3. Priests were Very Rev. Michael L. Cross, Fitz-Henry, and Rev. Joseph Occhiuto. Cross was the Dean of the Salinas Deanery. Rev. John C. Writht replaced Occhiuto in 1987. | Parish had a school with 265 students. |
| 1988 | 1990 | Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo | Monterey | CA | 2/2. Priests were Msgr. Brendan McGuinness, Rector, and Fitz-Henry. | Parish had a school with 216 students. Principal was Sr. Mary Jane Clark, O.P. Fitz-Henry is indexed in the 1988 and 1989 Directories as "Eddie". |
| 1988 | 1990 | Annunciation | Monterey | CA | 2/2. Priests were Msgr. Brendan McGuinness, Rector, and Fitz-Henry. | This was a mission of the Cathedral. |
1990 Shubsda was succeeded by Sylvester Donovan Ryan (1992-2006) |
1993 | San Carlos Borromeo Basilica (Carmel Mission) | Carmel • A private investigator hired by the diocese in 2011 discovered a credible allegation of child sexual abuse against Fitz-Henry from his time at Carmel Mission, in 1992. In 2011 the mother of minor involved in the 1992 allegation stated that the incident involved two of her sons. The family received a settlement from the diocese and Fitz-Henry was sent to New Mexico for treatment in May 1992. |
CA | 3/4, 3/3. Priests were Msgr. D. Declan Murphy, Revs. Michael Bell (Edinburgh), Fitz-Henry, and (in res.) Bishop Thaddeus Shubsda, who died on 4/26/91. | Parish had a school with 205-242 students. Sr. Jean Williams was the Principal.
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| 1990 | 1993 | St. Francis of the Redwoods | Big Sur | CA | 3/4, 3/3. Priests were Msgr. D. Declan Murphy, Revs. Michael Bell (Edinburgh), Fitz-Henry, and (in res.) Bishop Thaddeus Shubsda. | This was a mission of the Basilica. |
| 1990 | 1993 | Blessed Sacrament | Carmel | CA | 3/4, 3/3. Priests were Msgr. D. Declan Murphy, Revs. Michael Bell (Edinburgh), Fitz-Henry, and (in res.) Bishop Thaddeus Shubsda. | This was a chapel of the Basilica. |
| May 1992 | Nov. 1992 | Servants of the Paraclete | Jemez Springs | NM | patient | This was a facility for priests with sexual disorders. |
| 1993 | 1995 | San Luis Obispo (Old Mission) | San Luis Obispo |
CA | 2/4, 2/5 | Parish had a preschool, and an elementary school with 303 students. It also had a religious education program with 264 students. |
| 1995 | 2005 | San Juan Bautista (Old Mission) | San Juan Batista | CA | 1/1 | Parish had a religious education program with 112-180 students. |
2005 Richard John Garcia replaced Ryan (2006-) |
2007 | Madonna Del Sasso | Salinas • Fitz-Henry was accused in Feb. 2011 of having sexually abused a minor in 2005 while at this parish. His accuser said he was a 14 year-old altar boy and choir member who aspired to the priesthood when he was assaulted by Fitz-Henry. The boy also played the flute, and has said he was invited by Fitz-Henry to play flute for the parish choir. According to the accuser, Fitz-Henry would ask him questions during confession and counseling sessions about his sexual activity and preferences, and that Fitz-Henry told him he could teach him to kiss and play the "skin flute". He said Fitz-Henry began to hug him, touch him under his clothes, and that Fitz-Henry tried to force him to orally copulate him in the church restroom. |
CA | 1/2 | Parish had a school with 331 students, and a religious education program with 628-350 students. The accuser first told a visiting priest in the Monterey diocese, Rev. Nicholas Millich, in late 2010 of the alleged 2005 abuse. Millich kept the information to himself, and was suspended from ministry in the Monterey as a result. |
| 1996 | 2011 | San Benito County Sheriff's Dept. | San Benito | CA | Chaplain | This assignment is per news reports. |
| 2011 | Salinas Police Dept. | Salinas | CA | Chaplain | This assignment is per news reports. | |
| 2007 | 2011 | San Juan Bautista (Old Mission) | San Juan Batista | CA | 1/1 | Parish had a religious education program with 165-159 students. Fitz-Henry was removed from active ministry in Feb. 2011 due to two allegations of child sexual abuse, one from 2005 and one from almost 20 years earlier. |
Sources Background on Abuse in the Diocese of Monterey
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