Although he was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1933, Clive Charles Lynn, armed with his “diploma in youth leadership,”1Curriculum Vitae, Clive Charles Patrick Lynn tried to begin his clerical career in the diocese of Aberdeen, Scotland. While in the seminary there Lynn taught at the St. Michael’s College for Boys in Alford. Then he went to the diocese of Paisley, Scotland. There he was dismissed from the seminary, but Bishop James Black of Paisley in 1968 assured Bishop Louis Reicher of Austin, Texas, that though Lynn had had a “checquered career” (not explained), there was “nothing of any serious nature detrimental to his character in matters of faith or morals or discipline” and Lynn was simply “a victim of circumstances.”2 Letter from Bishop James Blair to Bishop Louis J. Reichner, March 6, 1968. Although the Rector of the seminary had determined that Lynn was “not a fit candidate for the priesthood,” Black thought that Lynn had a “zealous nature” and “may well prove to be a worthy priest.”3 Letter from Bishop James Blair to Bishop Louis J. Reichner, March 6, 1968. Black did not explain the nature of Lynn’s problems, and with this vague recommendation Bishop Reicher accepted Lynn into the diocese of Austin, Texas, in 1968.

Soon Reicher decided that “he will not ordain him [Lynn] for this diocese.” 4 Letter from Rev. John T. Payne to Archbishop James P. Davis, n. d. Lynn had worked as a deacon under five priests and had personality clashes with all of them. The complaints were all “very small ones” such as borrowing an alarm clock without permission, but plainly Lynn got on peoples’ nerves. He had “a mind of his own” and in short time has “acquired an uncommon number of unfriendly priests.”5 Letter from Bishop Louis J. Reicher to Archbishop James P. Davis, January 15, 1969.  However, Lynn was very active in “catechetical and C.Y.O. groups” and was “very popular with the people, especially the youth.” One pastor thought that perhaps priests were “jealous” of Lynn as “he does seem to take the limelight away from the pastor.”6 Letter from Rev. John T. Payne to Archbishop James P. Davis, n. d.  This pastor recommended to Archbishop James Davis of Santa Fe that he took Lynn into his diocese.  Davis did, and ordained Lynn in February 1969, despite being warned that Lynn had “his idiosyncrasies.”7 Letter from Rev. Edward F. Jordan to Rev. Lucien C. Hendren, Chancellor, Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

In 1968 Davis had appointed Lynn as deacon at the Holy Ghost parish in Albuquerque: and informed him that “it is expected that you will take special interest in the youth.”8 Letter from Archbishop James P. Davis to Rev. Clive C. Lynn, November 8, 1968. It is natural that younger priests work with younger parishioners, but Davis’s words were ominous in light of the nature of Lynn’s “interest” in youth. Parishioners thanked Davis for Lynn and his “freshness, cheerfulness, and love of God.”9 Letter from Mr. and Mrs. Leon A. Dunn to Archbishop James Peter Davis, November 18, 1968. When he became pastor of Santa Rita the parishioners there were not as pleased. A parishioner at Santa Rita in Carrizozo, New Mexico wrote to Lynn that “after your performance before the congregation Saturday night, along with your obvious lack of Self-disciple, common courtesy and gross immaturity, I felt that I could never return to church in Capitan as long as you are the pastor.” Lynn had had a “childish tantrum.” He had also removed items from the Lincoln San Juan Church, but “only those which are of any value.”10 Letter from Mrs. Ofelia Salas to Rev C. C. Lynn, February 29, 1972. The letter does not detail the nature of the tantrum. Other parishioners also complained.

Lynn’s letters were usually several pages, typed, single-spaced, with a liberal use of CAPITALS and underlining and exclamation points!!! In those pre-computer days he could not also use different fonts for emphasis. Lynn blamed “a few vociferous and mostly non or un-concerned Catholics”11 Letter from Clive C. Lynn to Archbishop J.P. Davis, October 7, 1972. as the source of complaints. Davis decided to move him to another parish.

In January 1973 Lynn asked for the church of San Felipe “since I am a former teacher and progressive Youth Leader… I could be of help in the large parish school there,”12 Letter from Rev. Clive C. Lynn to Personnel Board, Archdiocese of Santa Fe, January 23, 1973. a school full of boys. Instead Davis gave Lynn “an indefinite leave of absence” and warned him that he would get his salary only “after you turn over the parish of St. Rita, Carrizozo, to your successor.”13 Letter from Archbishop James P. Davis to Rev Clive Lynn, March 5, 1973. Davis admonished Lynn that “your difficulties with adults to date lead me to believe that you need to realize that we do not live in a world where everything and everyone is to our liking just because we have been ordained priests.”14 Letter from Archbishop James P. Davis to Rev Clive Lynn, March 5, 1973. Davis had been warned, and Lynn was living up to his reputation.

In September 1973 Davis appointed Lynn as assistant pastor of St. Joseph’s in Raton. Lynn responded that “the Raton appointment was impossible” and that he wanted to be co-pastor of St. Therese church with the Rev. A. Moore and the Rev. Elmer Niemeyer.15 Letter from Clive C. to Archbishop Davis, October 19, 1973. Davis at first sent a letter agreeing to this,16 Letter from Archbishop James P. Davis to Rev. Clive Lynn, January 24, 1974. but immediately changed his mind and said there was “no assignment.”17 Letter from Rev. Clive C. Lynn to Archbishop Davis, January 28, 1974. Lynn insisted he wanted to be at St. Therese. Davis’s response was to forbid Lynn “to celebrate Mass publicly until further notice” until Lynn obeyed the Archbishop.18 Letter from Archbishop James P. Davis to Rev. Clive Lynn, February 1, 1974.

Suddenly parishioners ay St. Therese (Lynn insisted that their action was spontaneous) demanded that Lynn be assigned there, because he had “organized a wide variety of services for youthful parishioners”; “the most vocal supporters of the priest were a group of boys who told the Journal that Fr. Lynn had organized ‘all kinds’ of activities for them.”19 Scott Reaven, “Petition Protests Priest’s Removal,” Albuquerque Journal, February 4, 1974. He had indeed, and Archbishop Davis may have been having doubts about what those “activities” included. Davis wanted to assign Lynn to Nazareth Sanitarium. In February 1974 Davis explained to the Personnel Board that

If Father Lynn refuses to accept professional assistance, I recommend a leave of absence and a petition to the Holy See that he be returned to the lay state. It has become evident that he finds the priesthood too much of a burden. He seeks escape through identification with children. The parents are happy to turn the children over to him. The results are not good.20 Letter from Archbishop James P. Davis to Very Rev. Francis X. Eggert, Chairman, Archdiocesan Personnel Board, February 11, 1974.

Davis did not explain whether he knew anything specific or whether he just had a bad feeling about all this, but how “not good” the results were would become all too clear under the next archbishop.

Lynn agreed to see a doctor, and Bishop Davis on February 14, 1974, invited Lynn “to live at my house.”21 Letter from Archbishop James P. Davis to Rev. Clive C. Lynn, February 14, 1974. But on the same day, February 14, Davis again wrote Lynn directing him “to take up residence at Pius XII Villa” and if he failed to do so, “as of March 1, 1974, I shall not be responsible for anything you may do or wish to do unless you avail yourself of this opportunity. Neither will the Archdiocese continue to provide any salary, housing or other assistance.”22 Letter from Archbishop James P. Davis to Rev. Clive C. Lynn, February 14, 1974. Davis must have learned something immediately after writing the first letter. On February 15, Davis again wrote Lynn and invited him “to take up residence in my home.”23 Letter from Archbishop James P. Davis to Rev. Clive C. Lynn, February 14, 1974. On the same day Davis wrote the Rev. Ted Hunt, pastor of St. Therese church, “to change any and all locks…to prevent access…to father Clive Lynn.”24 Letter from Archbishop James P. Davis to Rev. Ted Hunt, February 15, 1974. On February 17, Davis told Lynn “you are no longer welcome to take up residence in my home” and “you do not have faculties.” Davis again directed Lynn to reside at Pius XII Villa.25 Letter from Archbishop James P. Davis to Rev. Clive C. Lynn, February 17, 1974.

Lynn organized a protest and said he might leave Santa Fe until Davis retired.26 “Father Lynn May Leave Diocese,” Albuquerque Journal, February 18, 1984. The archdiocese sued Lynn and asked the district court “to order the sheriff to remove Father Clive from St. Therese parish.”27 “Archdiocese Sues to Remove Father Lynn,” Albuquerque Journal, February 20, 1974. Lynn hired a lawyer and protested his treatment. But Lynn was saved when Davis resigned in June 1974 and Robert Sanchez succeeded him as Archbishop of Santa Fe. Sanchez soon appointed Lynn as administrator of St. Anthony, and in 1976 made him pastor of St. Gertrude, indicating that “the youth of the Mora Valley will especially welcome your sincere desire to work with them.”28 Letter from Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez to Rev. Clive Lynn, October 15, 1976. The dean of that area was the Rev. Sabine Griego, a sexual abuser.29 Paul Logan and Mike Gallagher, “Sanchez Slow to Examine Accusations,” Albuquerque Journal, March 20, 1998. Sanchez may even then have had an inking of what that “work” with youth would involve.

Lynn had left the finances of St. Anthony is disarray. Unpaid bills had piled up.30 Letter from Rev. A. Auman to Mr. Joseph Dupuis, Comptroller, July 16, 1977.

By November 1977 some of the parishioners had had enough of Lynn, and asked for his replacement because of unspecified “sore grievances.” Lynn had his critics that they were “stupid and possessed by the Devil.”31 Letter from Miguel Romo to Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez, November 22, 1977. This is not the last appearance the Devil will make in the history of Clive Lynn. Sanchez wrote the parishioners that he would discuss the matter with the personnel board. 32 Letter from Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez to Miguel Romo, December 23, 1977. Nothing happened.

A mysterious Father Bede appeared at St. Gertrude’s and the Vice Chancellor of the archdiocese wrote to Lynn, asking who the hell Father Bede was (expressed somewhat more politely, but with a strong note of exasperation).33 Letter from Rev. D. J. Starkey, Vice-Chancellor, to Rev. Clive Lynn, January 3, 1978.

His parish critics, whom Lynn called “the militant few,”34 Letter from Concerned Parishioners of St. Gertrude to Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez, February 1980. kept writing Sanchez but with no specifics. But in August 1980 Brother Thomas R. Coleman wrote to Sanchez about Lynn. Lynn had frequently broken the seal of confession.

Father Lynn had told me the confessions of the children and teens and adults. He has told me their sins, mostly sexual ones and told me who did what. He has even mentioned them from the pulpit. In the case of one young man he called his mother to tell her of his confessed sins.35 Letter from Br. Thomas Coleman to Archbishop Sanchez, August 2, 1980.

Breaking the seal of confession leads to automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication and is a sin from which only the Pope can absolve.36Code of Canon Law, 1388 §1 Catholics are told that no priest would ever break the seal, that priest would prefer to die rather than break the seal.37 John Nepomuk (Nepomocene) was court chaplain of the Emperor Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia in the fourteenth century. He was also confessor to the Empress Jane. Wenceslaus became jealous and tried to force John to reveal what he had learned from the empress in sacramental confession. John refused, and the king ordered him thrown from the Charles Bridge in Prague and drowned. Lynn was breaking it publicly and repeatedly and suffered no consequences. There was worse. Coleman continued

I am also greatly concerned about how Clive is not handling his sexual orientation. I do not care if a man is homosexual or heterosexual. It depends on what he does with it. Let me say that he has made advances to me and other bys, and this is a terrible scandal.38 Letter from Br. Thomas Coleman to Archbishop Sanchez, August 2, 1980.

Sanchez did nothing; Sanchez was sexually involved with numerous young women, and turned a blind eye to his priests’ sins.39 Paul Logan and Mike Gallagher, “Sanchez Slow to Examine Accusations,” Albuquerque Journal, March 20, 1998.

Lynn was acting and more erratic. He locked the fire doors of the church during services. The Fire Marshall’s office warned him not to do it40Letter from Fire Marshall’s Office, Santa Fe, to Rev. Clive Lynn, January 20, 1981. and Lynn did it again.41 Letter from Ralph B. Garrity, Fire Services Chief, to Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez, February 26, 1981. The Chancellor was anxious. If people were killed in a fire “the archdiocese could in no manner survive the financial loss that claims would produce in local courts.”42 Rev. D. J. Starkey, Chancellor, to Rev. Clive Lynn, March 5, 1981. The loss of children’s innocence did not concern the archdiocese of Santa Fe; however the potential loss of money was another matter entirely.

In June, 1981, Kathleen Atkinson, who had been the Co-ordinator of Rape and Suicide Care Services at the Bridge Crisis Center in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and who had consulted with Roberto Chene of Catholic Social Services, wrote to Sanchez about “the behavior of Clive Lynn,” and indicated that she know Sanchez was already “aware of it.” She was writing because of

my knowledge of the long-term, damaging effects of adults acting out their sexual distress on young people. In any private individual, such actions are inappropriate. Because of Father Lynn’s position as the Church’s example, arbiter and instructor of moral values for all young people in this parish, the problem is immeasurably compounded.43 Letter from Kathleen C. Atkinson to Archbishop Robert Sanchez, June 29, 1981.

Sanchez responded that the letter would be “discussed by the proper persons.” Sanchez’s action was to transfer Lynn from St. Gertrude’s to St. Joseph’s in Raton, with its “young and growing families,” that is, with lots of children. By this time Sanchez knew what Lynn was doing, and this phrase conceals a hidden leer.

An unsigned report of February 9, 1982 indicated that Lynn sometimes appeared to be “intoxicated” and served liquor to “parents and children.” Lynn spied on people, peeking around doors and buildings, peering into parked cars with a flashlight,”  used “altar to report to congregation what certain named individuals did at such and such a place sinwise.” Stories of Lynn’s sexual behavior were also circulating:

Possible HomoSexual tendency

An active church participant (A) informed anther boy (B) that Father Lynn had made sexual advances toward him (A), touching his sexual organs. The boy (A) reported to boy (B) that he had grabbed a pencil in self defense and warned the priest not to bother him. Boy (A) apparently told his parents and he quit attending church activity.44 Re: Father Clyde Lynn, November 9, 1982.

Sanchez at this point left Lynn at St. Joseph’s parish but directed him to see a psychiatrist and “under no condition” to return to St. Gertrude’s.45 Letter from Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez to Rev. Clive Lynn, March 19, 1982.

About the same time a group of priests met to discuss the Lynn problem and asked Sanchez to act. The Rev. Mike O’Brien had been “hurt by a fellow priest,” that is, by Lynn. The priests pointed out “the consistently erratic behavior of Fr. Clive C. Lynn for the past twelve years and the lack of affirmative action on the part of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe to deal with his erratic behavior.” The priests recommended

First, Fr. Lynn be issued Canonical warnings by yourself warning him about violations of the confessional seal, mismanagement of Church funds and properties, assaults on a priest, etc. If these warnings are not heeded, we recommend that Fr. Lynn have his faculties suspended by the Archdiocese.

Secondly and more importantly, we recommend that Fr. Lynn receive residential psychiatric and/or psychological care at an institution dedicated to the care of priests, for example, Via Coeli or Affirmation House.46 Letter from Rev. Vidal Martinez et al to Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez, March 29, 1982

Among the signatories was the Rev. Robert Lee Martinez.

Lynn got wind of the meeting and wrote a bitter letter to Martinez, who forwarded it to Sanchez. The parishioners continued to complain to Sanchez about Lynn, mostly about petty things, but the small problems proved that Lynn had a problem with “his temper.”47 Letter from Mrs. Eliza Romero to Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez, September 10, 1982. Lynn heard about the complaints, and told one woman who was writing to Sanchez that the complaints were “the work of the devil.” Lynn continued to be zealous for the Catholic Faith. He preached that those who attended “non-Catholic weddings” were committing a mortal sin, and even giving a gift at such a wedding is a mortal sin.48 Letter from Mrs. Andrew R. Valdez to Archbishop Sanchez, June 23, 1983. Another parishioner wrote about the “intimidation” techniques that Lynn used in his sermons, and decided that Lynn was “a very sick man’ especially because

            Fr. Lynn is very attracted to young boys. He is always finding ways to keep their interests. He is always taking them on trips out of town, buying them tapes, watches, and even money.

            He is attracted to certain types of boys, usually quiet, troubled, and very naïve boys. They are usually from troubled homes or with very lenient parents.

            These boys are always attracted to all these goodies they can receive. They are always so innocent.

            There are many people questioning these things. They are wondering if there is more to these generosities.49 Letter from A very concerned Parishioner of St. Joseph Parish in Raton, N. M. to Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez, October 6, 1984.

Sanchez knew quite well there was considerably more to these generosities. There was also the question of the source of the money Lynn used to take trips and buy gifts.

A parishioner wrote to Sanchez about “the very deceiving Father Lynn." Lynn took $3,821.71 out of a bank account for which he had no right to sign. He had taken $2,600 without authorization from the bingo account.50 Letter from A very concerned Parishioner of St. Joseph Parish in Raton, N. M. to Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez, October 6, 1984. Sanchez did nothing.

A woman wrote to Sanchez about “the allegations made concerning Father Lynn’s behavior regarding young men serving with him in the church.” The writer feels “uncomfortable.” Lynn had heard the rumors (which were true, as Sanchez knew), and confronted the writer at her workplace calling her a “wicked, malicious and a dangerous woman,” He threatened to mention her in his sermon as a “malicious gossip” and said that he was consulting a lawyer. The writer was convened that if the allegations were true, it would be “traumatic for the young boys involved.”51 Letter of Isabel Gonzales to Archbishop Robert Sanchez, November 7, 1984.

The allegations were true. Another wrote that Lynn had slept with her son on a trip to Albuquerque. The boy initially denied that Lynn had made “sexual advances,” but when questioned by his mother, “he looks at me as if he is afraid to tell me, and he can’t bring himself to do it.”52 Letter from [--------] to Archbishop Sanchez, November 14, 1984. Later when her son went to confession to Lynn in the sacristy at St. Joseph’s church,

He got [Victim A] and gave him the tickle torture and got him on the upper thigh so hard that it hurt, John asked Father Lynn to stop it and he wouldn’t say he wouldn’t. When [Victim A] came home he told me about it and I told [Victim A] not to be alone with Father John ever again.53 Letter from [------], first page with addressee and date missing.

The mother said when was going to counseling and had turned the matter over to Social Services. The mother begged Sanchez to act.

The Colfax County Social Services investigated the complaint of sexual abuse and in December 1984 “have substantiated that complaint and incidents involving four other children.”