Priest and Clergy Sexual Abuse in Massachusetts

A Long History of Abuse in Massachusetts Churches

Massachusetts is home to the second highest number of Catholics per capita and Boston has the highest percentage of Catholics amongst all large dioceses across the country. A landmark report appearing in 2002 in The Boston Globe detailed a long history of priests in the Archdiocese of Boston sexually abusing children while church leaders covered up the abuse. The scandal was part of a series of Catholic Church sexual abuse cases and reports across the country but the scale of the abuse and coverup detailed in the Globe’s investigative report, titled “Spotlight Investigation: Abuse in the Catholic Church”, led to widespread media coverage helping expose a long history of abuse and coverup within the Church. Subsequent national and international investigations and allegations revealed the number of victims reached into the several thousands with reported abuse spanning many decades.

Immediately following the report, criminal charges were brought against Boston area priests John Geoghan, John Hanlon, Paul Shanley, Robert V. Gale and Jesuit priest James Talbot with all being convicted and sentenced to prison. Following the report, it was revealed that Boston Archbishop Cardinal Bernard Francis Law had an extensive role in covering up sexual abuse by his priests and he would resign that December. In 2002, the victims of Geoghan received a $10 million settlement from the Boston Archdiocese and in 2003 an additional $85 million was paid to 552 victims to settle lawsuits over church abuse within the Archdiocese. Since then, there have been other high-profile cases with dozens upon dozens of priests accused of sexual abuse within Boston and the other three Massachusetts dioceses of Fall River, Springfield and Worchester.

Fall River Diocese Releases Lists of Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse

On January 7, 2021 the Fall River Diocese released three lists of priests who the diocese has determined were either credibly accused, publicly accused or have pending cases of sexual abuse against minors. According to the Fall River Diocese website, the three lists include priests, seminarians, and other religious against whom (a) an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor was made that meets the semblance of truth standard, (b) publicly named in media reports or third party lists prepared by advocacy groups or other dioceses/religious orders, or (c) have been accused of sexual abuse against a minor, but the canonical and/or civil proceedings are still pending, and were incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River and/or assigned to public ministry in the Diocese of Fall River.

Clergy Members Credibly Accused of Abusing Children in Massachusetts

We have compiled a list of current or former priests who have been sued and/or suspended following allegations of sexual abuse of minors or have claims against them in the state of Massachusetts. We are actively pursuing cases against Catholic priests and clergy as well as figures from other religious institutions. The list below includes priest, clergy, nuns and religious educators from 4 different Massachusetts dioceses.

Important note: If the name of a priest or other member of clergy you are searching for does not appear in the lists below, it does not mean that you do not have a potential claim against that individual. These lists of credibly accused individuals are always expanding as more information is brought forth to the dioceses and to authorities. Please contact us if you or a loved one has been abused by a priest or other clergy member, regardless of whether they appear in the lists below or not.

Archdiocese of Boston

The following list contains Priests and Clergy from the Archdiocese of Boston, Massachusetts have been the objects of legal settlements or otherwise credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor:

• John H. Acres
• Brother Albert
• Joseph Angeli
• John T. Atwater
• Charles E. Aubut
• Leonard Bacigalupo
• Eugene Bailot
• Gary E. Balcom
• Frederick L. Barr
• Robert E. Barrett
• Richard J. Barry
• Settimo (or Septimo) Basso
• Sydney H. Bayers
• Robert P. Beale
• Leon F. Beauvais
• George C. Berthold
• Joseph E. Birmingham
• John "Giovanni" Bocciarelli
• Paul J. Bolduc
• Barry F. Bossa
• Clarence R. Boucher
• Raymond A. Boulanger
• Xavier Leonard Boulanger (Br. Leonard)
• Real (Ray) Bourque
• James E. Braley
• Philippe Breton
• Andrew Brizzolara
• Anthony L. Buchette
• Myron F. Bullock
• Richard A. Buntel
• Robert Burgess
• Richard J. Butler
• William L. Butler
• Joseph F. Byrne
• George J. Callaghan
• Alan E. Caparella
• Michael John Carew
• John P. Carroll
• Frederick J. Cartier, Jr.
• Guido Caverzan
• John C. Chaisson
• Edmund P. Charest
• Joseph K. Coleman
• Jeremiah J. Collins
• John K. Connell
• James E. Connelly
• Denis A. Conte
• John M. Cotter
• Richard T. Coughlin
• Charles "Charley" G. Coyle
• Gerard E. Creighton
• Edmund W. Croke
• Joseph I. Crowley,
• Eugenio (Eugene) Cumerlato
• William J. Cummings
• Thomas M. Curran
• Brother Cuthbert
• Robert F. Daly
• Sister Agnes Daniels
• Stephen F. Dawber
• Fidelis (Francis) DeBerardinis
• Paul M. Desilets
• Gerard V. Dever
• Charles F. Dewey
• John J. Dewire
• Mark C. Doherty
• George Donnelly
• Thomas D. Donnelly
• John Francis Dority
• Ronald Dorsey
• William J. Duffy
• John A. Dunn
• Leo V. Dwyer
• Frank E. Fairbairn
• Nolan Farrell
• Robert D. Fay
• Robert C. Fichtner
• Paul J. Finegan
• John H. Flynn,
• James J. Foley
• James D. Foley
• Thomas P. Forry
• Michael Smith Foster
• John Fowler
• Joseph P. Fratic
• Ross S. Frey
• Peter J. Frost
• Joseph Fugolo
• Joseph A. Fusoni
• Robert V. Gale
• Brian Gallagher
• John J. Gallagher
• James E. Gaudreau
• John J Geoghan
• Kenneth Ghastin
• Jerome F. Gillespie
• Thomas M. Gillespie
• Randal (James R.) Gillette
• Joseph Gilpin
• Louis J. Govoni
• Daniel M. Graham
• John E. Guiney
• Arthur J. Hagan
• John R. Hanlon
• William A Hennessy
• Gerald J. Hickey
• Paul Hightower
• Bernard St. Hilaire
• Edward Anthony Holmes
• James Barron Holsenbach
• Paul William Hurley
• James Hutchinson
• Raymond L. Hyder
• Kelvin E Iguabita-Rodriguez
• Alphonse (Mike) B. Jansonis
• Harold J. Johnson
• Richard G. Johnson
• Donald J. Joyce
• Peter S Kanchong
• Charles R. Kane
• Dominic "John Walter" Karow
• John F. Keane
• Dennis A. Keefe
• Bernard J. Keenan
• Donald J. Keenan
• Arnold E. Kelley
• Edward T. Kelley
• Joseph F. (W?) Kenney
• Edward M. Keohan
• Ricardo (Richard) Kerressey
• Robert W. Kirchmeyer
• Robert J. Knapp
• Michael J. Kossak
• Leo Labbe
• Leo P. Landry
• Bernard J. Lane
• James H. Lane
• John J. Lane
• Anthony J. Laurano
• Victor C. LaVoie
• Kenneth A. LeBlanc
• Charles M. Loeffler
• Samuel J. Lombard
• John P. Lyons
• John M. (Juan)
• James L. MacGuinness
• Thomas H. Maguire
• Paul J. Mahan
• William F. Maloney
• Paul F. Manning
• Sister Mary Mark
• Jon C. Martin
• Richard O. Matte
• Julius Martin Mattingly
• Benedict Mawn
• John Kevin McAndrews
• Mary McAvoy
• George V. McCabe
• James T. McDonald
• Paul E. McDonald
• Donald J. McGurrin
• Joseph McInnis
• James T. McKeon
• John E. McLaughlin
• Paul J. McLaughlin
• Gerard T. McMahon
• Benjamin J. McMahon, Jr.
• Francis J. McManus
• Paul G. McPartland
• Richard E. McQuade
• Humberto S. Medeiros
• Robert V. Meffan
• F. Dominic Menna
• Edward Michael
• Lawrence Joseph Michaud
• Edwin Modicowitz (Modicourtz)
• William H. Morgan
• Paul J. Moriarty
• Robert H. Morrissette
• Thomas F. Motherway
• Jay Michael Mullin
• Alfred M. Murphy
• Charles J. Murphy
• David C. Murphy
• Kenneth B. Murphy
• Anthony Ngwumohaike
• W. James Nyhan
• Rickard J. O'Donovan
• Christian Ohazulume
• Arthur P. O'Leary
• William V. O'Neill
• Eugene M. O'Sullivan
• Lionel P. Ouellette
• Julian S. Pagacz
• Joseph A. Papile
• Ronald H. Paquin
• Leonard E. Pelletier
• Varghese Pereppadan
• Mario Pezzotti
• John M. Picardi,
• Raymond C. Plourde
• Steven W. Poitras
• Leo E. Pollard
• James F. Power
• Raymond A. Prybis
• Dennis Raeihle
• Henry Rancourt
• Redmond H. Raux
• Anthony J. Rebeiro
• Brother Regis
• Joseph P. Reilly
• Lucien J. Richard
• Leo Thomas Riley
• James P. Robichaud
• Barry Robinson
• Allan E. Roche
• Julian Edward Rondeau
• George J. Rosenkranz
• George Roulier
• Frederick J. Ryan
• Robert Ryer
• Paul P. Rynne
• William J. Scanlan
• Paul R. Shanley
• James C. Shaughnessey (Shaughnessy)
• Francis S. Shea
• William B. Shea
• George Sheehan
• Edward F. Sherry
• D. George Spagnolia
• Nicholas J. Spagnolo
• Leonard F. Stanton
• Andrzej Sujka
• Eugene P. Sullivan
• Michael D. Sullivan
• C. Melvin Surette
• Czeslaw (Chet) Szymanski
• Patrick J. Tague
• James F. Talbot
• James S. Thompson
• J. Garrett "Gary" Thomson
• Paul J. Tivnan
• Louis Toma
• Ernest E. Tourigney
• Robert K. Towner
• James J. Tully
• Robert (John) Turnbull (OSA)
• Andrzej (Andrew) J. Urbaniak
• Anthony J. Vasaturo
• Joseph P. Veneto
• Bro. Michael Walsh
• John J. Walsh
• Leonard Thomas Walsh
• Martin J. Walsh
• Michael Walsh
• William M. Walsh
• Robert A. Ward
• Joseph L. Welsh
• John "Jack" J. White
• Paul White
• Paul David White
• James L. Wilson

Diocese of Fall River

Credibly Accused

The following list includes priests, seminarians, and other religious against whom an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor was made that meets the semblance of truth standard set by the diocese and were incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River and/or assigned to public ministry in the Diocese of Fall River.

• Manuel Andrade Jr.
• Armando Annunziato
• Jose M. Bettencourt Avila (aka George Avellar)
• William F. Baker
• H. Stanley Barney
• Adrien E. Bernier
• William J. Boffa
• Normand J. Boulet
• Donald J. Bowen
• George R. Carrier
• James A. Clark
• Paul G. Connolly
• Anthony Andre Corbin
• John P. Cronin
• Maurice de Souza
• Arthur T. DeMello
• Arthur C. dos Reis
• J. Arthur G. Dupuis
• Hugo Dylla
• James W. Fahey
• Stephen A. Fernandes
• Bento R. Fraga
• Steven R. Furtado
• Rene Gaudin
• Frank Genevive
• Angelo Michael Guarin
• Hernando Herrera
• Phillip J. Higgins
• Robert S. Kaszynski
• Cornelius J. Keliher
• Andrew Kozanko
• Daniel W. Lacroix
• David J. Landry
• Joseph D. Maguire (McGuire)
• Raymond W. McCarthy
• Francis J. McManus
• Donald E. Messier
• Thomas J. Mulryan
• James E. Murphy
• Bruce M. Neylon
• Herbert T. Nichols
• James R. Nickel
• William W. Norton
• Edward O. Paquette
• John W. Pegnam
• James R. Porter
• Justin J. Quinn
• Edward A. Rausch
• Raymond A. Robillard
• William J. Shovelton
• Gilbert J. Simoes
• Kevin F. Tripp

Publicly Accused

The following list includes priests, seminarians, and other religious whom were publicly named in media reports or third party lists prepared by advocacy groups or other dioceses/religious orders and were incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River and/or assigned to public ministry in the Diocese of Fall River.

• John H. Acres
• Brian Brinker
• Joseph Byrne
• Charles Cavanagh
• William Cullen
• Stephen F. Dawber
• Alexander (Alejandro) Delgado
• Alfred Fredette
• Mark R. Hession
• Michael J. Kossak
• Jose Alfonso Lima
• Thomas F. Motherway
• Thomas E. O'Dea
• Eugene F. Orteneau
• Henry J. Rancourt
• Richard H. Roos
• Nicholas Spagnolo
• James P. Walsh
• Richard J. Wolf

Cases in Process

The following list includes priests, seminarians, and other religious whom have been accused of sexual abuse against a minor, but the canonical and/or civil proceedings are still pending and were incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River and/or assigned to public ministry in the Diocese of Fall River.

• James F. Buckley
• Edward J. Byington
• Richard E. Degagne

Diocese of Springfield

The following list contains Priests and Clergy from the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts have been the objects of legal settlements or otherwise credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor:

• Paul J. Archambault
• Gerald Beauregard
• George A. Berthiaume
• Albert J. Blanchard
• John J. Bonzagni
• Paul T. Boudreau
• Donald A. Desilets
• Michael H. Devlin
• Frederick G. Dion
• Bernard L. Doheny
• Eugene Dranka
• Donald V. Dube
• Thomas L. Dupre (Bp.)
• David M. Farland
• Joseph E. Flood
• Joseph Clarence W. Forand
• Oscar Gatineau
• Lawrence Gauthier
• Alfred C. Graves
• Ernest Karl Huller
• Joseph Roy Jenness
• Vernon Kelly
• Edward M. Kennedy
• John A. Koonz
• Francis P. Lavelle
• Richard R. Lavigne
• Timothy J. Leary
• Ronald Malboeuf
• James A. Martone
• Thomas McCarthy
• John D. McNamara
• Richard F. Meehan
• James P. Menge
• Thomas J. O'Connor
• Richard O'Hearn
• Thomas F. O'Malley
• John R. Russell
• Michael Sabotor
• John Scanlon
• Charles Joseph Sgueglia
• James A. Sipitkowski
• Charles J. Sullivan
• Mary Jane Vidnansky
• James T. Walsh
• Ronald E. Wamsher
• David P. Welch
• Christopher J. Weldon (Bp)

Diocese of Worcester

The following list contains Priests and Clergy from the Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts have been the objects of legal settlements or otherwise credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor:

• Antonio F. Antonucci
• Brion T. Ares
• John J. Bagley
• Henry S. Banach
• Lee F. Bartlett
• Robert Beaulac
• Andre M. Bernard
• David L. Blizard
• Gerard L. Branconnier
• Richard J. Carelli
• Michael L. Carney
• Joseph Chu Cong
• Joseph A. Coonan
• Chester J. Devlin
• Paul J. Doherty
• Lowe B. Dongor
• Joseph A. Fredette
• Jean-Paul Gagnon
• Timothy J. Harrington (Bp)
• David A. Holley
• Peter J. Inzerillo
• Norman R. Jalbert
• Thomas A. Kane
• Thaddeus (Ted) J. Kardas
• Robert E Kelley
• Louis Laperle
• Edward P. Lettic
• Joseph M. Martin, (M.I.C.M.)
• Raymond P. Messier
• Edward Nicewicz
• Brendan W. O'Donoghue
• Leo J. O'Neil
• Raymond J. Page
• Ronald D. Provost
• Donald J. Rebokus
• Bernard R. Reilley
• George E. Rueger (Bp)
• Robert A. Shauris
• Justin Steponaitis
• John J. Szantyr
• Thomas H. Teczar
• Gerard P. Walsh