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In a move described as “one more step” the Boston Archdiocese released the names of those accused in the following categories:

  • Clergy found guilty of child sexual abuse.
  • Those defrocked after being accused of sex abuse.
  • Priests on administrative leave while their accusations are heard and decided.
  • Those already defrocked before accusations were made.
  • Deceased priests who have been publicly accused and whose cases are not finished.

Included were the names of 159 priests. Those names are:

A. Cases That Have Been Concluded Canonically, Either By Dismissal or Sentence to Life of Prayer and Penance, or Criminally, Either By Plea or Conviction.
This section contains the names of those members of the clergy of the Boston Archdiocese who have been found guilty of sexually abusing a child, either by the Church, the State, or both. In the case of criminal convictions, the cleric either has been convicted after a criminal trial or has pled guilty to a crime involving the sexual abuse of a child. In the case of canonical processes, the clerics whose names are included in this section either have been dismissed from the clerical state ("dismissed") at the end of a canonical process or have been assigned to a life of prayer and penance, with no ministry possible. The Church assigns priests to a life of prayer and penance where they are not suited to dismissal due to age or infirmity.

Name Ordination Date Status
Barrett, Robert E 1963 Assigned to Life of Prayer and Penance (2004); Deceased (2008)
Buchette, Anthony L 1957 Dismissed (2005)
Coughlin, Richard T 1953; Excardinated to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (now Diocese of Orange) in 1971 Permanently Restricted
Crowley, Jr., Joseph I (Permanent Deacon) 1980 Pled Guilty to Criminal Charges (1999); Laicized (2006)
Dempsey, Thomas F Ordained for the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1955; Incardinated into the Archdiocese of Boston in 1976 Pled Guilty to Criminal Charges in Wisconsin (1997); Deceased (1998)
Fay, Robert D 1967 Dismissed (2005)
Gale, Robert V 1968 Pled Guilty to Criminal Charges (2004); Laicized (2006)
Geoghan, John J 1962 Dismissed (1998); Convicted on Criminal Charges (2000); Deceased (2003)
Guthrie, Frederick L 1962 Pled Guilty to Criminal Charges (involving attempted solicitation of a minor over the Internet) (2004); Laicized (2010)
Hanlon, John R 1955 Convicted on Criminal Charges (1994); Laicized (2005)
Hurley, Paul W 1970 Convicted on Criminal Charges (2006); Dismissed (2006)
Iguabita-Rodriguez, Kelvin E 1999 Convicted on Criminal Charges (2003); Dismissed (2005)
Johnson, Harold J 1949 Assigned to Life of Prayer and Penance (2004); Deceased (2009)
Keane, John F 1969 Pled Guilty to Criminal Charges (2008); Dismissed (2009)
Kelley, Edward T 1968 Assigned to Life of Prayer and Penance (2005); Deceased (2011)
Lane, Bernard J 1960 Dismissed (2004)
Laurano, Anthony J 1950 Dismissed (2007); Deceased (2007)
Mahan, Paul J 1968 Dismissed (1998)
McMahon, Gerard T 1961 Pled Guilty to Criminal Charges (2006); Laicization Pending
Murphy, Francis A 1957; Excardinated to the Archdiocese of Anchorage (1964) Permanently Restricted
Nyhan, W. James 1973 Pled Guilty to Criminal Charges (2006); Dismissed (2007)
O’Sullivan, Eugene M 1960 Pled Guilty to Criminal Charges (1984); Dismissed (2005)
Paquin, Ronald H 1973 Pled Guilty to Criminal Charges (2002); Laicized (2004)
Plourde, Raymond C 1958 Assigned to Life of Prayer and Penance (2004)
Rosenkranz, George J 1962 Dismissed (2006)
Shanley, Paul R 1960 Dismissed (2004); Convicted on Criminal Charges (2005)
Tague, Patrick J 1963 Dismissed (2006)
Tivnan, Paul J 1963 Assigned to Life of Prayer and Penance (2004)
Welsh, Joseph L 1968 Assigned to Life of Prayer and Penance (2004)

B. Cases That Have Been Concluded Canonically By Laicization.
Laicization under Church law is a process whereby the cleric voluntarily requests that he be separated from the clerical state. The laicization process, because it is voluntary, does not involve a determination of guilt for crimes involving the sexual abuse of children. Included in this section are the names of priests who have sought laicization after being accused of sexually abusing a minor.

Name Ordination Date Status
Balcom, Gary E 1972 Laicized (1998); Deceased (2002)
Beale, Robert P 1970 Laicized (2010)
Cartier, Jr., Frederick J 1963 Laicized (2010)
Coleman, Joseph K 1981 Laicized (2005)
Connell, John K 1965 Laicized (2005); Deceased (2007)
Conte, Denis A 1975 Laicized (2004)
Daly, Robert F 1967 Laicized (2011)
Finegan, Paul J 1970 Laicized (2005)
Forry, Thomas P 1968 Laicized (2006)
Frost, Peter J 1970 Laicized (2005)
Govoni, Louis J 1972 Laicized (2010)
Keefe, Dennis A 1989 Laicized (2009)
Knapp, Robert J 1965 Laicized (2010)
Matte, Richard O 1964 Laicized (2005)
McDonald, Paul E 1964 Laicized (2005)
McMahon, Jr., Benjamin J 1968 Laicized (2010)
Meffan, Robert V 1953 Laicized (2004)
Morrissette, Robert H 1975 Laicized (2005)
Ryan, Frederick J 1964 Laicized (2005)
Tourigney, Ernest E 1961 Laicized (2006)
Walsh, William M 1971 Laicized (2011)
Ward, Robert A 1974 Laicized (2004)
White, Paul D 1961 Laicized (2005)
Wilson, James L 1990 Laicized (1998)

C. Cases Involving Living Archdiocesan Clergy That Already Have Been Publicized, But Where The Canonical Proceedings Against Those Clergy Have Not Yet Been Resolved.
Included in this section are the names of priests or deacons of the Boston Archdiocese who have been publicly accused of sexually abusing a child, but where there remain to be completed canonical proceedings involving those priests or deacons. In each case, the cleric involved has been removed from public ministry and remains on administrative leave. It must be emphasized that there has been no final determination of guilt or innocence in these cases.

Name Ordination Date Status
Barr, Frederick L. 1976 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Berthold, George C 1963 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Butler, William L 1961 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Carroll, John P 1953 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Charest, Edmund P 1960 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Curran, Thomas M 1970 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Foley, James J 1978 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Fratic, Joseph P 1964 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Graham, Daniel M 1970 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
LaVoie, Victor C 1971 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Lyons, John P 1955 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Manning, Paul F 1967 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
McLaughlin, Paul J 1955 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
McLaughlin, John E 1962 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Mendicoa, John M Ordained in Madrid, Spain for the Brotherhood of Diocesan Worker Priests of the Heart of Jesus in 1967; Incardinated into the Archdiocese of Boston in 1990 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Menna, F. Dominic 1958 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Mullin, Jay M 1969 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Murphy, David C 1963 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Pelletier, Leonard E 1969 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Poitras, Steven W 1993 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Rebeiro, Anthony J Ordained for Diocese of Nagpur, India in 1956; Incardinated into the Archdiocese of Boston in 1977 Administrative Leave; Case in Process
Surette, C. Melvin 1956 Administrative Leave; Case in Process

D. Cases Involving Priests Accused After Laicization On Other Grounds.
Laicization under Church law is a process whereby the cleric voluntarily requests that he be separated from the clerical state. Included in this section are the names of priests who were already laicized (and therefore no longer in the clerical state) when they were publicly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

Name Ordination Date Status
Carew, Michael J 1949; Incardinated 1964 Laicized (1971)
Dunn, John A 1960 Laicized (1973)
Maloney, William F 1959 Laicized (1974)
Towner, Robert K 1969 Laicized (1990)

E. Cases Involving Deceased Clergy for Whom Criminal or Canonical Proceedings Were Not Completed But The Existence of Allegations Has Been Publicized.
This section includes the names of deceased clergy accused of sexual abuse of a minor for whom criminal or canonical proceedings were not completed, but the existence of allegations has been publicized. In most cases, allegations were received only after the priest’s death. In others, the priest died before the conclusion of the proceedings. There has been no formal determination of guilt in these cases. Rather, the Archdiocese has decided to list these names in the interest of transparency and healing.

Name Ordination Date Status
Atwater, John T 1963 Deceased (2006)
Aubut, Charles E 1941 Deceased (2002)
Bailot, Eugene J 1937 Deceased (1983)
Bayers, Sydney H 1937 Deceased (1979)
Beauvais, Leon F 1962 Deceased (1997)
Birmingham, Joseph E 1960 Deceased (1989)
Bolduc, Paul J 1960 Deceased (2009)
Boucher, Clarence R 1940 Deceased (2001)
Breton, Philippe C 1936 Deceased (1984)
Bullock, Myron F 1953 Deceased (2007)
Collins, Jeremiah J 1939 Deceased (1982)
Connelly, James E 1943 Deceased (1985)
Cotter, John M 1960 Deceased (1989)
Creighton, Gerald E 1951 Deceased (2004)
Croke, Edmund W 1928 Deceased (1971)
Cummings, William J 1968 Deceased (1994)
Dever, Gerard V 1971 Deceased (1997)
Dewey, Charles F 1939 Deceased (1996)
Dewire, John J 1946 Deceased (1994)
Dwyer, Leo V 1932 Deceased (1989)
Fairbairn, Frank E 1969 Deceased (2000)
Fusoni, Joseph A 1960 Deceased (1988)
Guiney, John E 1947 Deceased (1998)
Hagan, Arthur J 1933 Deceased (1963)
Hyder, Raymond L 1929 Deceased (1975)
Jansonis, Alphonse 1945 Deceased (2000)
Kane, Charles R 1953 Deceased (1986)
Keenan, Bernard J 1948 Deceased (1966)
Kenney, Joseph F 1931 Deceased (1992)
Lane, John J 1925 Deceased (1971)
LeBlanc, Kenneth 1976 Deceased (2010)
Lombard, Samuel J 1946 Deceased (1998)
McAndrews, John K 1949 Deceased (1986)
McDonald, James T 1953 Deceased (1999)
McKeon, James T 1928 Deceased (1965)
Morgan, William H 1950 Deceased (1999)
Moriarty, Paul J 1948 Deceased (1982)
Motherway, Thomas F 1969 Deceased (2003)
Murphy, Kenneth B 1946 Deceased (1999)
O’Neill, William V 1931 Deceased (1960)
Ouellette, Lionel P 1957 Deceased (2000)
Papile, Joseph A (Deacon) 1988 Deceased (2009)
Reilly, Joseph P 1943 Deceased (1992)
Roche, Allan E 1946 Deceased (1997)
Ryer, Robert L 1943 Deceased (1967)
Rynne, Paul P 1956 Deceased (2001)
Shaughnessey, James C 1937 Deceased (1989)
Shea, William B 1946 Deceased (2005)
Shea, Francis S 1932 Deceased (1972)
Spagnolia, D. George 1964 Deceased (2008)
St. Hilaire, Bernard 1951 Deceased (1977)
Sullivan, Michael D 1945 Deceased (2005)
Thomson, J. Garrett 1981 Deceased (2010)
Veneto, Joseph P 1946 Deceased (1998)
White, John J 1957 Deceased (2004)

This is another step in the right direction in making sure that the truth is reveled. Although, these were all names that have been previously uncovered. The concern is that they acknowledged that there are 91 names that were not disclosed. As the Washington Post pointed out there is much more to be done:

In recent months, prominent victims’ attorney Mitchell Garabedian, and the watchdog group BishopAccountability.org have independently released new names of accused priests, while expressing doubts the archdiocese ever intended to be truly forthcoming. BishopAccountability.org has estimated at least 350 religious workers in Boston have a substantive abuse accusations against them, based on the percentages from other dioceses that have disclosed their number of accused.

Abuse of children and the continued silence by the offenders needs to be prevented. If you suffered, saw, or suspected such events, it is important to know that there is help out there.

2 Comments

  1. Gravatar for James Cole
    James Cole

    Was physically abused by a Boston area priest in the early 70s while at a youth facility. Have emailed state attorney general about this recently, have been totally ignored. Had witnessed this priest assault one other youth. He was defrocked for enticing youth to have sex with him while he was director of this facility. One youth sued him. This priest was never formally charged regarding this sexual assault.Don't understand why. Called Bishop Accountability, they are working on my situation. Am shocked that attorney general does not care about the serious charges that I have made. This priest was also dismissed from this facility for stealing $30,000 and was fined $600 and given a 3 year probation. I would bet my bank account that had I stolen this amount of money or if anyone else for that matter, I would see prison time. Maybe the Archdiocese of Boston interceded for this man and he was given a light sentence. I noted to the AG the fact that during my stay at this state facility this priest moved to a rather large home, overlooking the ocean, and drove a new sports car. I know that he moved to a new home because this man used us underaged youth as slave labor to move him and to do work on his house. Also noted that never did I see anyone from the state come in and inspect the facility or speak to anyone of us. Seemed like there was little if no state oversight. This facility was housed in a victorian, wood framed structure, and there were three bedrooms and each was packed with bunk beds. I wonder if this facility was ever even inspected by the fire department. Those of us in this facility recieved virtually no education. I wish that I could get a hold of the other people in were in this program as I am sure that they could provide back up to my charges. The state essentially paid this man to brutalize,steal, and sexually assault youth. At this stage of my life I would like someone to officially address these issues. I don't give a damned about money, I want justice.

  2. Mike Bryant

    Very sorry to hear what you went through and am glad the you have BA working with you. I hope that you see Justice. Thanks for stopping by to read and comment.

Comments for this article are closed.