My Story
My Story
My Story
I was one of twelve children who grew up in an Irish Catholic neighborhood in Sioux City Iowa. I went to Catholic school for twelve years. The picture below (family picture, 1959) shows me in the back, on the right, along with my parents and brothers and sisters, about the time I was raped and sexually abused, 1959.
The priest who raped me, Fr. Murphy, was a frequent visitor to my home, my parents were honored that he visited. He was a parish priest as well as an occasional teacher at my elementary school and track team coach.
I was molested numerous times over several months around 1959-1960 when I was eleven and twelves years old. Murphy would take me to the movies or to amateur softball games, or to the park; sexual molestation would be part of the activity.
On two occasions the abuser priest took me to two other priests to confess my sins! As if my abuse was my fault! These two priests did not report to the police and if they reported to the bishop nothing happened as a result.
My sexual abuse ended only because the predator was caught by a parent abusing their child. He was transferred to another parish several months later. Even after he got transferred to another parish, I would still see him around in my neighborhood. Once, I saw him sitting in his car next to a baseball field watching boys playing Little League baseball.
At the time of my abuse, I froze and did not say anything or tell anyone. Memories were buried for thirty years, then surfaced about 1995 when I saw some protesters from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, SNAP holding signs at the San Francisco Cathedral calling out a predator priest who sexually abused a child.
My reaction was: I was sexually abused by a priest too! I contacted Terrie Light who was leading a support group in the East Bay chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, SNAP. I participated in that group for about three years until 1998 in San Francisco. Terrie Light was a lifesaver–I will never forget her support.
Tim Lennon
Survivor of rape and sexual abuse. Working to help other victims of sexual abuse through activism and advocacy.
President Emeritus, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
Tim Lennon
Survivor of rape and sexual abuse. Working to help other victims of sexual abuse through activism and advocacy.
President Emeritus, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
I was one of twelve children who grew up in an Irish Catholic neighborhood in Sioux City Iowa. I went to Catholic school for twelve years. The picture below (family picture, 1959) shows me in the back, on the right, along with my parents and brothers and sisters, about the time I was raped and sexually abused, 1959.
The priest who raped me, Fr. Murphy, was a frequent visitor to my home, my parents were honored that he visited. He was a parish priest as well as an occasional teacher at my elementary school and track team coach.
I was molested numerous times over several months around 1959-1960 when I was eleven and twelves years old. Murphy would take me to the movies or to amateur softball games, or to the park; sexual molestation would be part of the activity.
On two occasions the abuser priest took me to two other priests to confess my sins! As if my abuse was my fault! These two priests did not report to the police and if they reported to the bishop nothing happened as a result.
My sexual abuse ended only because the predator was caught by a parent abusing their child. He was transferred to another parish several months later. Even after he got transferred to another parish, I would still see him around in my neighborhood. Once, I saw him sitting in his car next to a baseball field watching boys playing Little League baseball.
At the time of my abuse, I froze and did not say anything or tell anyone. Memories were buried for thirty years, then surfaced about 1995 when I saw some protesters from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, SNAP holding signs at the San Francisco Cathedral calling out a predator priest who sexually abused a child.
My reaction was: I was sexually abused by a priest too! I contacted Terrie Light who was leading a support group in the East Bay chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, SNAP. I participated in that group for about three years until 1998 in San Francisco. Terrie Light was a lifesaver–I will never forget her support.
Tim Lennon
Survivor of rape and sexual abuse. Working to help other victims of sexual abuse through activism and advocacy.
President Emeritus, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
I was twelve in 1959, about the time I was raped.
Lennon Family 1959. I am standing in the back, on the right.
This thirty-year-old repressed memory emerged with the realization of the harm I suffered. I also engaged with a therapist while continuing in the SNAP support group. I told my family. In 1998 two major events took place. I became the father of twin daughters, Fiona and Maya. And I dropped out of the SNAP support group and volunteer work.
In 2010, when my daughters were twelve years old, it evoked memories of the violent rape when I was twelve. I was devastated, all the memories of the rape emerged and hit me hard. How could anyone cruelly harm a child?
The rape happened at home and was violent and life-threatening. I am lucky to be here. At the time I don’t think the rapist cared whether I lived or died.
The impact was dramatic. Understanding, realizing, becoming conscious of the harm inflicted on me by the rape caused severe PTSD (which I call ‘the troubles’). I suffered months of crying, depression, anxiety, nightmares, and a whole parcel of PTSD symptoms. This crisis propelled me to begin participating in SNAP peer support groups again, a practice that carries on to this day. I immediately got re-engaged with SNAP and co-led a support group in San Francisco for the next six years.
I had carried the weight of PTSD for fifty years, and throughout unaware of its impact and how it harmed my life. Problems came and went, episodic. My therapy brought to the surface the harm I suffered throughout my life.
I knew I was seriously harmed, I sought professional help. I had a wonderful therapist, Priscilla Marquis who practiced EMDR therapy helped tremendously. The therapy was very difficult; it caused many tears and much pain.
On the other hand, the therapy was liberating as I could understand the harm and move forward. The therapy enabled me to incorporate those violent incidents as part of my life, who I am. Especially, that awareness helped me address the burden of buried memories constantly intervening in my life.
I was twelve in 1959, about the time I was raped.
Lennon Family 1959. I am standing in the back, on the right.
This thirty-year-old repressed memory emerged with the realization of the harm I suffered. I also engaged with a therapist while continuing in the SNAP support group. I told my family. In 1998 two major events took place. I became the father of twin daughters, Fiona and Maya. And I dropped out of the SNAP support group and volunteer work.
In 2010, when my daughters were twelve years old, it evoked memories of the violent rape when I was twelve. I was devastated, all the memories of the rape emerged and hit me hard. How could anyone cruelly harm a child?
The rape happened at home and was violent and life-threatening. I am lucky to be here. At the time I don’t think the rapist cared whether I lived or died.
The impact was dramatic. Understanding, realizing, becoming conscious of the harm inflicted on me by the rape caused severe PTSD (which I call ‘the troubles’). I suffered months of crying, depression, anxiety, nightmares, and a whole parcel of PTSD symptoms. This crisis propelled me to begin participating in SNAP peer support groups again, a practice that carries on to this day. I immediately got re-engaged with SNAP and co-led a support group in San Francisco for the next six years.
I had carried the weight of PTSD for fifty years, and throughout unaware of its impact and how it harmed my life. Problems came and went, episodic. My therapy brought to the surface the harm I suffered throughout my life.
I knew I was seriously harmed, I sought professional help. I had a wonderful therapist, Priscilla Marquis who practiced EMDR therapy helped tremendously. The therapy was very difficult; it caused many tears and much pain.
On the other hand, the therapy was liberating as I could understand the harm and move forward. The therapy enabled me to incorporate those violent incidents as part of my life, who I am. Especially, that awareness helped me address the burden of buried memories constantly intervening in my life.
Video Recordings of My Story
Short videos recorded in May 2020 for a documentary that was never made.
My Story
This video tells of my rape and sexual abuse. It was difficult to record. It is difficult for me to watch. It may be upsetting and triggering for others to watch. 9:51 minutes in length
Impact of Abuse
Sexual abuse causes lifelong harm. It tells a bit of my struggle with depression, sadness, low self-esteem, distrust, anxiety, and a host of other PTSD symptoms. 5:07 minutes
Church Notified
I wrote to the Church when some of the memories of sexual abuse and molestation surfaced in 1995. I told them I was sexually abused. They respond coldly and cruelly. In 2010, after memories of a very violent, life-threatening rape surfaced I was thrown into ‘the troubles’ of PTSD. By 2016 I was strong enough to request with the bishop. 3:27 minutes
Church Knew
The cruel rapist, Fr. Peter B. Murphy was known to the church that he was a sexual predator. He sexually abused minors in three parishes previous to be assigned to my parish and elementary school. Yet Bishop Mueller moved him every time he got caught. He knew. My abuse only stopped when Fr. Murphy got caught and moved once again. Never did they call the police. When I went public in 2016, fifteen of my classmates came forward accusing Murphy of abusing them. 12:41 minutes
SNAP and Fight Back
What happened to me should not happen to another child. When I was a victim, I froze. No longer will I remain silent. While I don’t think we can be ‘healed,’ I do believe we can be on a path of healing. Support of my family, a great therapist, and SNAP support groups enabled me to thrive. So now, I fight back. My advocacy and activism with SNAP is an important part of my healing journey. 10:24 minutes
Video Recordings of My Story
Short videos recorded in May 2020 for a documentary that was never made.
Short videos recorded in May 2020 for a documentary that was never made.
My Story
This video tells of my rape and sexual abuse. It was difficult to record. It is difficult for me to watch. It may be upsetting and triggering for others to watch. 9:51 minutes in length
Impact of Abuse
Sexual abuse causes lifelong harm. It tells a bit of my struggle with depression, sadness, low self-esteem, distrust, anxiety, and a host of other PTSD symptoms. 5:07 minutes
Church Notified
I wrote to the Church when some of the memories of sexual abuse and molestation surfaced in 1995. I told them I was sexually abused. They respond coldly and cruelly. In 2010, after memories of a very violent, life-threatening rape surfaced I was thrown into ‘the troubles’ of PTSD. By 2016 I was strong enough to request with the bishop. 3:27 minutes
Church Knew
The cruel rapist, Fr. Peter B. Murphy was known to the church that he was a sexual predator. He sexually abused minors in three parishes previous to be assigned to my parish and elementary school. Yet Bishop Mueller moved him every time he got caught. He knew. My abuse only stopped when Fr. Murphy got caught and moved once again. Never did they call the police. When I went public in 2016, fifteen of my classmates came forward accusing Murphy of abusing them. 12:41 minutes
SNAP and Fight Back
What happened to me should not happen to another child. When I was a victim, I froze. No longer will I remain silent. While I don’t think we can be ‘healed,’ I do believe we can be on a path of healing. Support of my family, a great therapist, and SNAP support groups enabled me to thrive. So now, I fight back. My advocacy and activism with SNAP is an important part of my healing journey. 10:24 minutes
My 1996 Letter to Bishop and His Reply
I wrote the Sioux City Diocese in a letter dated February 8, 1996 that I was sexually abused by Fr. Murphy for several months. I mentioned that I knew he abused other children. I also mentioned that he was caught and sent to another parish and covered up. I called him a vicious criminal.
How many assaults could have been avoided, I asked. Why wasn’t he in jail? Is the preservation of the image of the church more important than the safety of a child?
In a foretelling of emerging memories in 2010, I say that I can’t remember all of the sexual abuse but what I do remember horrifies and terrorizes me.
The church replied to my letter accusing priest of sexual abuse of me and others. They said “the whole of our society for years chose to ignore the reality” of sexual abuse. The included in this ignorance, the church, families, society.
They do not apologize, say they are sorry, how can we help, etc. The did say Fr. Murphy died in 1980.
Visit to Sioux City Diocese to Meet with the Bishop
Fifty years have the violent rape and sexual abuse I confront the Diocese and the Bishop.
Memories of rape surfaced in 2010. By 2011 I began the process of investigating the circumstance of my abuse. I place ads in newspapers, went back to Iowa and looked at diocesan archives, researched online archives, etc.
In 2011 the diocese caught wind of my research and called me out of the blue. I was devastated by the unsolicited phone contact. It took me five more years before I could muster the strength to confront the church and the bishop. So in 2016 I requested a meeting with Bishop Nickless who accepted.
My daughter, Fiona, who was seventeen, acted as my supporter, advocate and witness. She accompanied me to the meeting. She demonstrated amazing strength of character to challenge the bishop on a number of points (I don’t believe you, you continue the coverup, I don’t trust you, etc). I was so proud of her strength, presence and righteous anger. Her presence helped me get through an emotional process.
The bishop was sympathetic and extended an apology that I accepted as sincere. After our meeting we exchanged several letters which resulted in me getting a sizable settlement.
Here is how that settlement happened. In one of his letters he said, you seem to be asking for more than other victims. I replied, if you compare me to other victims then I will compare you to other bishops. I then attached a copy of the chart that was prepared by the bishop from Altoona-Johnston Pennsylvania.
It is a chart of the various awards given depending on the severity of the rape and sexual abuse. It was the result of grand jury ‘discovery.’ The bishop used it as a worksheet to determine payouts to keep victims quiet.
During the correspondence between the bishop and myself, my daughter, Fiona, wrote the bishop which was critical of the bishop. Bishop Nickless did not reply to her but did write to me saying he didn’t want any more letters from my daughter Fiona.
When I was in Sioux City I had several media and TV interviews. Article on the front page of the Sioux City Journal and Denison Newspaper.
As the result of the TV interviews and newspaper articles fifteen of my classmates came forward telling of similar sexual attacks by Fr. Murphy.
Briefing Book for 2016 Visit with the Bishop
I came prepared to meet the bishop. Previous to the visit I did a fair amount of research. The biggest revelation was that I was abused around 1959/1960 not 1957 as I wrote in my letter to the diocese in 1996. So, I was twelve, not ten years old. My research found a tremendous amount of information about the assignments of the predator.
One method of my research was to place ads in local newspapers in towns and cities the predator was assigned. I followed the lead of Phil Saviano of Spotlight movie fame who use the same technique to gather information.
The ads were simple: “Do you know Fr. Murphy around 1959. I am seeking information. Please contact . . . ” As a result I received six phone calls, four of which referred to him sexually abusing or harassing young teen boys and girls in three locations. Later, when media published my story in 2016, I got a call from a church volunteer who apologized as she help coverup the sexual abuse of another child by Murphy in 1956.
The predator Murphy was caught and moved three times previous to his assignment in Sioux City. My rape and sexual abuse could have been prevented. I had evidence of church coverup.
I assembled the documents in what I called my briefing folder. It’s cover page was the quote “If anyone causes one of these little ones–those who believe in me–to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck.”
Update - Vatican and Diocese, April 2020
I visited the Vatican in February 2020 to bring attention to the abysmal lack of action by the Vatican in acting to prevent sexual abuse. I was joined by four SNAP leaders, Mary Dispenza, Kevin Bourgeois, Brenda Brunelle, and Shaun Dougherty.
We attended an assembly with members of Ending Clergy Abuse and survivors from Argentina at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in the Vatican. The Argentinians attempted to get access to secret files from the CDF/Vatican. CDF officials directed us to write letters requesting the information.
I and the rest of the SNAP contingent wrote letters and deposited the letters in the Vatican mailbox. The letters reached the CDF. The response from the “Holy See” and the bishops exemplify the classic insults of dismissal and misdirection. Needless to say, no response to the request for documents or CDF/Vatican secret files or even mention of the request.
See the Letter to CDF that I mailed in February 2020.
The Holy See response was to pass to Tucson Bishop Weisenburger. He was unable to gather enough courage to respond by himself. Instead, I got the response from “Interim Director” of the local diocese Office of Child, Adolescent, and Adult Protection.
Here is my reply to CDF and the Vatican on their non-response to my request for information.
Media Stories and Interviews
NY Times Bay Area Interview, April 24, 2011
Sioux City Journal, Sunday, front page, Interview concerning my meeting with the Bishop, April 2016
My 1996 Letter to Bishop and His Reply
My 1996 Letter to Bishop and His Reply
I wrote the Sioux City Diocese in a letter dated February 8, 1996 that I was sexually abused by Fr. Murphy for several months. I mentioned that I knew he abused other children. I also mentioned that he was caught and sent to another parish and covered up. I called him a vicious criminal.
How many assaults could have been avoided, I asked. Why wasn’t he in jail? Is the preservation of the image of the church more important than the safety of a child?
In a foretelling of emerging memories in 2010, I say that I can’t remember all of the sexual abuse but what I do remember horrifies and terrorizes me.
The church replied to my letter accusing priest of sexual abuse of me and others. They said “the whole of our society for years chose to ignore the reality” of sexual abuse. The included in this ignorance, the church, families, society.
They do not apologize, say they are sorry, how can we help, etc. The did say Fr. Murphy died in 1980.
Visit to Sioux City Diocese to Meet with the Bishop
Visit to Sioux City Diocese to Meet with the Bishop
Fifty years have the violent rape and sexual abuse I confront the Diocese and the Bishop.
Memories of rape surfaced in 2010. By 2011 I began the process of investigating the circumstance of my abuse. I place ads in newspapers, went back to Iowa and looked at diocesan archives, researched online archives, etc.
In 2011 the diocese caught wind of my research and called me out of the blue. I was devastated by the unsolicited phone contact. It took me five more years before I could muster the strength to confront the church and the bishop. So in 2016 I requested a meeting with Bishop Nickless who accepted.
My daughter, Fiona, who was seventeen, acted as my supporter, advocate and witness. She accompanied me to the meeting. She demonstrated amazing strength of character to challenge the bishop on a number of points (I don’t believe you, you continue the coverup, I don’t trust you, etc). I was so proud of her strength, presence and righteous anger. Her presence helped me get through an emotional process.
The bishop was sympathetic and extended an apology that I accepted as sincere. After our meeting we exchanged several letters which resulted in me getting a sizable settlement.
Here is how that settlement happened. In one of his letters he said, you seem to be asking for more than other victims. I replied, if you compare me to other victims then I will compare you to other bishops. I then attached a copy of the chart that was prepared by the bishop from Altoona-Johnston Pennsylvania.
It is a chart of the various awards given depending on the severity of the rape and sexual abuse. It was the result of grand jury ‘discovery.’ The bishop used it as a worksheet to determine payouts to keep victims quiet.
During the correspondence between the bishop and myself, my daughter, Fiona, wrote the bishop which was critical of the bishop. Bishop Nickless did not reply to her but did write to me saying he didn’t want any more letters from my daughter Fiona.
When I was in Sioux City I had several media and TV interviews. Article on the front page of the Sioux City Journal and Denison Newspaper.
As the result of the TV interviews and newspaper articles fifteen of my classmates came forward telling of similar sexual attacks by Fr. Murphy.
Briefing Book for 2016 Visit with the Bishop
Briefing Book for 2016 Visit with the Bishop
I came prepared to meet the bishop. Previous to the visit I did a fair amount of research. The biggest revelation was that I was abused around 1959/1960 not 1957 as I wrote in my letter to the diocese in 1996. So, I was twelve, not ten years old. My research found a tremendous amount of information about the assignments of the predator.
One method of my research was to place ads in local newspapers in towns and cities the predator was assigned. I followed the lead of Phil Saviano of Spotlight movie fame who use the same technique to gather information.
The ads were simple: “Do you know Fr. Murphy around 1959. I am seeking information. Please contact . . . ” As a result I received six phone calls, four of which referred to him sexually abusing or harassing young teen boys and girls in three locations. Later, when media published my story in 2016, I got a call from a church volunteer who apologized as she help coverup the sexual abuse of another child by Murphy in 1956.
The predator Murphy was caught and moved three times previous to his assignment in Sioux City. My rape and sexual abuse could have been prevented. I had evidence of church coverup.
I assembled the documents in what I called my briefing folder. It’s cover page was the quote “If anyone causes one of these little ones–those who believe in me–to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck.”
Update - Vatican and Diocese, April 2020
Update - Vatican and Diocese, April 2020
I visited the Vatican in February 2020 to bring attention to the abysmal lack of action by the Vatican in acting to prevent sexual abuse. I was joined by four SNAP leaders, Mary Dispenza, Kevin Bourgeois, Brenda Brunelle, and Shaun Dougherty.
We attended an assembly with members of Ending Clergy Abuse and survivors from Argentina at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in the Vatican. The Argentinians attempted to get access to secret files from the CDF/Vatican. CDF officials directed us to write letters requesting the information.
I and the rest of the SNAP contingent wrote letters and deposited the letters in the Vatican mailbox. The letters reached the CDF. The response from the “Holy See” and the bishops exemplify the classic insults of dismissal and misdirection. Needless to say, no response to the request for documents or CDF/Vatican secret files or even mention of the request.
See the Letter to CDF that I mailed in February 2020.
The Holy See response was to pass to Tucson Bishop Weisenburger. He was unable to gather enough courage to respond by himself. Instead, I got the response from “Interim Director” of the local diocese Office of Child, Adolescent, and Adult Protection.
Here is my reply to CDF and the Vatican on their non-response to my request for information.
Media Stories and Interviews
Media Stories and Interviews
NY Times Bay Area Interview, April 24, 2011
Sioux City Journal, Sunday, front page, Interview concerning my meeting with the Bishop, April 2016
Lennon family, circa 1950 & 1953
