I am writing to recount a chilling phone call I received from Francis T. Nugent, Victim Services Coordinator for Healing and Prevention for the Diocese of Worcester on Wednesday, October 3, 2007.  Ms. Nugent was calling at the behest of Father Rocco Piccolomini, Vicar of Clergy for the Diocese of Worcester in response to a complaint I logged with him via phone on January 28, 2002 and again on October 1, 2007 regarding accused pedophile priest Father John Szantyr.  In order to adequately convey the severity of the exchange, it is necessary to acquaint you with my history as it pertains to the Worcester Diocese and Father Rocco, in particular. 

In 2002 I was growing increasingly concerned about my husband’s involvement with a group calling themselves the Seeds of Hope led by self-proclaimed visionary Neil Harrington, Jr. and his spiritual director, Father John Szantyr that I believed was (and is) cultic, divisive, and dangerous.  On January 28, 2002 I called Father Rocco to inquire about whether or not Father John Szantyr was a priest in good standing.  Father Rocco informed me that, indeed, he was not and went on to tell me that in 1988 Father Szantyr was put on administrative leave by then Bishop Timothy Harrington.  Father Rocco sternly informed me that Father Szantyr should in no way be acting in the capacity of a priest unless emergency required that he do so such as in the case of a deathbed confession.  He also said that Father John Szantyr should not be acting as anyone’s spiritual advisor.  I informed Father Rocco that Father Szantyr was very much acting in the capacity of a priest and spiritual director, hearing confessions, and saying Mass in private residences within the diocese of Springfield.   Shockingly even after sharing my concern with him regarding Father John Szantyr and the high-profile role he played in the lives of my family and friends, Father Rocco did not feel morally obliged to tell me the reason why Father John Szantyr was put on administrative leave in 1988.   Tragically, through various news reports, I only recently learned the all-important reason why Father Szantyr was, as of 1988, no longer a priest in good standing. 

On October 1, 2007, I called Father Rocco, in light of this new information, to further question him and let him know how horrified I was that he was so negligent in failing to reveal such vital information.  During that conversation, he told me he had, indeed, upon hearing from me in 2002, contacted the Diocese of Springfield and relayed the information I provided him.  Although initially uncooperative, Father Rocco eventually conceded that he had made a grave error in choosing not to reveal the nature of Father Szantyr’s vocational stricture and apologized for failing to do so.  Father Rocco agreed that Father Szantyr was being “flagrantly disobedient” and assured me that he would get to the bottom of the situation.  The call ended amicably.

On October 2, 2007, I made a follow-up phone call to Father Rocco in order to determine whether or not he had made good on his assurance to me the day before.  Father Rocco did not answer the phone, and, consequently, I had to leave a message on his answering machine as to why I was calling and asked that he kindly call me back to update me on the unfolding situation.  I have not yet heard back from Father Rocco.

However, on October 3, 2007 I received a terse phone call from a woman abruptly identifying herself as Francis T. Nugent.  Ms. Nugent’s phone demeanor and lack of knowledge of my conversations with Father Rocco were immediately off-putting to me.  Given that she showed no empathy and conveyed no impression of one who really wanted to understand me or how the Church had wounded me, I immediately called her out on it.  I told her I was not hearing any empathy in her voice and that I felt I should be talking to Father Rocco rather than her.  It was evident that she knew very little about why she was calling me, and as such, I also expressed dismay that Father Rocco, himself, had not fully relayed the situation to her.  When asked why she had not, yet, apologized to me on behalf of the Worcester Diocese, she immediately shot back, “You weren’t abused, we don’t owe you an apology!  Were you abused?”  I answered, “It’s an abuse to all Catholics when vital information like that is kept hidden from the public; it’s an abuse to all Catholics!”  Undaunted, Ms. Nugent proceeded to shout me down and mock me like a stereotypical defense attorney in a Hollywood movie shouting, “Oh so you were abused huh, you were abused huh, so you were abused!”  I shouted back, “How dare you; it’s an abuse to all Catholics when information like that is kept from the public.”  At that point, Ms. Nugent shouted, “This conversation is over!” and hung up on me.  I immediately tried to call her back, but Ms. Nugent’s secretary told that me she was “on another line.”  I politely told the secretary that I would be glad to hold for Ms. Nugent.  However, I never got the chance to speak with her, as she kept me holding long enough for me to understand that she was not going to ever retrieve the call.

I find it simultaneously ironic, laughable, and tragic that the Worcester Diocesan website has the following outreach caption alongside Frances Nugent’s name - If you, or someone you know, has been sexually abused by a priest, religious, or layperson, working for the Church and you need a place to talk with someone about your feelings of betrayal or hurt by the church, contact Frances Nugent, Victim Services Coordinator, Office for Healing and Prevention.  After my encounter with Frances Nugent, my feelings of betrayal and hurt by the Church compounded one hundred fold!  I found her to be callous, arrogant, insensitive, and rude, and I would strongly urge any and all victims of abuse at the hands of a priest, religious, or layperson working for the Church to steer clear of Francis Nugent, as they would surely only be further broken after attempting to reveal their brokenness to this uncaring person.  Although Ms. Nugent claims to be a person with “fifty years experience” in her field, I found her devoid of humanity, one completely incapable of effectively dealing with any, and all, victim(s) of abuse.

My conversation with Ms. Nugent left me emotionally devastated.  If this is the gatekeeper at the Worcester Diocesan Office for Healing And Prevention, than the only logical conclusion I can draw is that her thuggish demeanor is both deliberate and purposeful designed to intimidate victims from coming forward with accounts of abuse at the hands of a representative of our Church.  Mission accomplished Ms. Nugent!  I will never, again, reach out to the Diocese of Worcester.  In entrusting Ms. Nugent with such a critical role in these grave matters of depravity, the Church demonstrates its inability, and unwillingness, to learn from the past.

Yours In Christ,

Tara Kozub

CC:  Bishop McManus

        Father Rocco Piccolomini

        Frances T. Nugent