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James Timlin
James Clifford Timlin (August 5, 1927 – April 9, 2023) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Scranton in Pennsylvania from 1984 to 2003. Timlin was accused in a 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report of covering up sexual abuse crimes by priests in his diocese during his tenure as bishop.
James Timlin was born on August 5, 1927, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to James and Helen (née Norton) Timlin. He received his elementary education at St. John the Evangelist Grade School in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and Holy Rosary Grade School in Scranton. He then attended Holy Rosary High School in Scranton. After high school, Timlin enrolled at St. Charles College in Catonsville, Maryland, then went to St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland. The diocese then sent him to reside at the Pontifical North American College while attending the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.[citation needed]
On July 16, 1951, Timlin was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Scranton by Archbishop Martin J. O'Connor. He then earned his Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree from the Gregorian University.
After returning to Scranton, the diocese assigned Timlin as assistant pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Pittston, Pennsylvania, in 1952.[citation needed] Timlin then served as assistant pastor of St. Peter's Cathedral Parish in Scranton from 1953 to 1966 when he was named assistant chancellor of the diocese and private secretary to Bishop J. Carroll McCormick. Timlin was raised by the Vatican to the rank of chaplain to his holiness in 1967, and became chancellor of the diocese in 1971. Timlin was honored by the Vatican as a prelate of honor on April 23, 1972. He also served as chairman of the diocesan Liturgical Commission and the Priests' Education Committee, as well as librarian and secretary of St. Pius X Seminary in Dalton, Pennsylvania. Timlin became a member of the diocesan Board of Consultors in 1972 and president of the board of directors of The Catholic Light in 1975.
On July 26, 1976, Pope Paul VI appointed Timlin as an auxiliary bishop of Scranton and titular bishop of Gunugus. He received his episcopal consecration on September 21, 1976, from Bishop McCormick, with archbishop John R. Quinn and bishop Stanley J. Ott serving as coconsecrators, at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Serving a five-year term as episcopal moderator of the National Association of Holy Name Societies, Timlin became vicar general of the diocese in 1976 and pastor of the Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Scranton in 1979. In 1983, Timlin was named chairman of the board of advisors of St. Pius X Seminary and of the Preparatory Commission for the Diocesan Synod.[citation needed]
On April 24, 1984, Pope John Paul II appointed Timlin as the eighth bishop of Scranton. Installed on June 7, 1984, Timlin was the first native of Scranton to become its diocesan bishop. During his tenure, Timlin held the Second Diocesan Synod, established the Bishop's Annual Appeal, presided over a major restructuring of parishes as a result of the priest shortage. He introduced a new policy for Catholic schools consisting of regional mergers, construction of modern facilities, new fundraising efforts, and a more equitable sharing of operational costs between parents, pastors, and the diocese.
In 1985, Timlin announced that he would not attend two events honoring Catholic congressmen because of their support for abortion rights for women. The first event was in honor of Democratic House Representative Peter W. Rodino Jr. at a St. Patrick's Day dinner in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. The second event was the awarding of an honorary degree to Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill Jr. at a commencement ceremony at the University of Scranton. In 2003, Timlin refused to attend the commencement ceremonies for the University of Scranton because of the pro-choice stance of honorary-degree recipient Chris Matthews.
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 in 2002, Timlin sent his letter of resignation as bishop of Scranton to Pope John Paul II; the pope accepted it on July 25, 2003. Timlin then served as administrator of St. Joseph's Parish in Wilkes-Barre from February to July 2004, when he became rector of Villa St. Joseph in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, the diocesan residence for retired priests.
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James Timlin
James Clifford Timlin (August 5, 1927 – April 9, 2023) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Scranton in Pennsylvania from 1984 to 2003. Timlin was accused in a 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report of covering up sexual abuse crimes by priests in his diocese during his tenure as bishop.
James Timlin was born on August 5, 1927, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to James and Helen (née Norton) Timlin. He received his elementary education at St. John the Evangelist Grade School in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and Holy Rosary Grade School in Scranton. He then attended Holy Rosary High School in Scranton. After high school, Timlin enrolled at St. Charles College in Catonsville, Maryland, then went to St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland. The diocese then sent him to reside at the Pontifical North American College while attending the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.[citation needed]
On July 16, 1951, Timlin was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Scranton by Archbishop Martin J. O'Connor. He then earned his Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree from the Gregorian University.
After returning to Scranton, the diocese assigned Timlin as assistant pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Pittston, Pennsylvania, in 1952.[citation needed] Timlin then served as assistant pastor of St. Peter's Cathedral Parish in Scranton from 1953 to 1966 when he was named assistant chancellor of the diocese and private secretary to Bishop J. Carroll McCormick. Timlin was raised by the Vatican to the rank of chaplain to his holiness in 1967, and became chancellor of the diocese in 1971. Timlin was honored by the Vatican as a prelate of honor on April 23, 1972. He also served as chairman of the diocesan Liturgical Commission and the Priests' Education Committee, as well as librarian and secretary of St. Pius X Seminary in Dalton, Pennsylvania. Timlin became a member of the diocesan Board of Consultors in 1972 and president of the board of directors of The Catholic Light in 1975.
On July 26, 1976, Pope Paul VI appointed Timlin as an auxiliary bishop of Scranton and titular bishop of Gunugus. He received his episcopal consecration on September 21, 1976, from Bishop McCormick, with archbishop John R. Quinn and bishop Stanley J. Ott serving as coconsecrators, at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Serving a five-year term as episcopal moderator of the National Association of Holy Name Societies, Timlin became vicar general of the diocese in 1976 and pastor of the Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Scranton in 1979. In 1983, Timlin was named chairman of the board of advisors of St. Pius X Seminary and of the Preparatory Commission for the Diocesan Synod.[citation needed]
On April 24, 1984, Pope John Paul II appointed Timlin as the eighth bishop of Scranton. Installed on June 7, 1984, Timlin was the first native of Scranton to become its diocesan bishop. During his tenure, Timlin held the Second Diocesan Synod, established the Bishop's Annual Appeal, presided over a major restructuring of parishes as a result of the priest shortage. He introduced a new policy for Catholic schools consisting of regional mergers, construction of modern facilities, new fundraising efforts, and a more equitable sharing of operational costs between parents, pastors, and the diocese.
In 1985, Timlin announced that he would not attend two events honoring Catholic congressmen because of their support for abortion rights for women. The first event was in honor of Democratic House Representative Peter W. Rodino Jr. at a St. Patrick's Day dinner in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. The second event was the awarding of an honorary degree to Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill Jr. at a commencement ceremony at the University of Scranton. In 2003, Timlin refused to attend the commencement ceremonies for the University of Scranton because of the pro-choice stance of honorary-degree recipient Chris Matthews.
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 in 2002, Timlin sent his letter of resignation as bishop of Scranton to Pope John Paul II; the pope accepted it on July 25, 2003. Timlin then served as administrator of St. Joseph's Parish in Wilkes-Barre from February to July 2004, when he became rector of Villa St. Joseph in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, the diocesan residence for retired priests.