Reverend Suspended from the Priesthood

By Michael Clancy
The Arizona Republic
February 1, 2014

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/20140131reverend-suspended-from-priesthood.html

The Rev. Timothy Conlon, who was hailed as a hero in 2010 for his efforts to defend a parish worker from an attacker, has been suspended from the Catholic priesthood.

Conlon, according to his religious order and the Diocese of Gallup, N.M., was credibly accused of two instances of sexual abuse that took place before he was ordained a priest in 1979. The incidents took place at least 40 years ago in North Dakota, but the Gallup Diocese only recently was alerted, according to a news release by the Crosiers religious order.

Conlon, a member of the order, worked in the Phoenix Diocese for at least 10 years. For much of that time, he was vicar of Hispanic ministry.

In 2010, he was a parish priest at Sacred Heart Church in south Phoenix when a man attacked a parish employee, Ann Conway, who was opening up for the day. He rushed to the employee’s rescue, and both were stabbed. The attacker ran off and was arrested later. Conlon was hailed as a hero at the time.

He left the diocese in 2011 and has been attempting to leave his religious order and join the clergy of the Diocese of Gallup, which covers portions of northeastern Arizona. He was working as administrator of Catholic parishes in St. Johns and Concho, Ariz., and because of the suspension has been removed from those duties.

A release from the Crosier order said no other allegations have been made against Conlon.

He was the fifth member of the Crosier order to have worked in Phoenix who was suspended after abuse allegations.