February 27, 2004

Citizens Petition Governor to Create

Government Task Force on Clergy Sexual Abuse

February 26, 2004      

Pastor guilty of stealing $250K

WORCESTER -- The former pastor of the Immaculate Conception Church in Fitchburg pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing $250,000 from the church.

The priest's unscheduled change of plea in Worcester Superior Court happened two months after a convicted child rapist, William Lamontagne, told the Sentinel & Enterprise that Ouellette funneled some of the stolen money to him in prison.

February 25, 2004

Ouellette pleads guilty to theft

Fitchburg priest admits to stealing $254,834 from parish

WORCESTER A Catholic priest pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing more than $250,000 from the Fitchburg parish where he was pastor, and agreed to write an account of what he did with the money before his sentencing.

February 23, 2004

Clergy Sex Abuse Victim Found Dead

BOSTON -- Patrick McSorley, 29, an outspoken victim of clergy sex abuse, was reportedly found dead inside a North End apartment early Monday morning, according to McSorley's attorney, Mitchell Garabedian.

We extend our deepest sorrow to the family of Patrick McSorley, his profound courage and dignity will always touch those who follow.

February 22, 2004

Letter to the editor

District Attorney John Conte’s contention in his clergy abuse report of February 2004 that his priority is for safety of children is in direct contradiction to the finding of Worcester Superior Court Judge John McCann, who sentence Fr. Robert Kelley to a prison term after he pleaded guilty to raping two young girls.

Judge McCann, on October 1, 2003, issued a ten-page scolding sentencing memorandum that outlined the district attorney’s inability to request bail for Fr. Kelley on May 16, 2002 when he was arraigned in Leominster District Court. Judge Vito A. Virzi set bail at $200,000. His order was vacated later the same day in Worcester Superior Court by Judge Francis R. Fecteau. Rev. Kelley had been arraigned that day on two counts of rape of a child.

downloadable version available in PDF file (no supporting documents)

February 20, 2004

Swampscott man removed as church pastor

SWAMPSCOTT -- A Swampscott native and deputy national chaplain for the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) has been placed on administrative leave from his post as pastor of St. Paul's Church in Blackstone following allegations of sexual misconduct.

The monsignor further explained to parishioners that the allegations first came to his attention about three weeks ago, adding that Bishop Daniel P. Reilly made the decision to place Champion on administrative leave while the Diocesan Review Board conducts an investigation.

February 18, 2004

Parish priest placed on leave

Diocese removes Blackstone pastor

BLACKSTONE- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester has placed Rev. James D. Champion, pastor of St. Paul Church, on administrative leave after allegations of sexual misconduct.

Monsignor Thomas J. Sullivan, diocesan chancellor and director of vocations, informed parishioners of Rev. Champion's removal during three Masses on Sunday. He and Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte said that the allegations did not involve children, nor result in criminal charges.

February 17, 2004

Blackstone priest removed from parish

February 16, 2004

Bishop Reilly issues report on sex abuse
Priests' names not given

WORCESTER-The Diocese of Worcester released its first report on the scope of clergy sexual abuse of children yesterday, citing 112 allegations of abuse from 1950 through 2003.

Mary T. Jean of Leominster, leader of Worcester Voice, an organization that works with victims, said the report shows the scope of the problem to be worse than she anticipated. She said those priests who have been removed from the ministry should be identified and required to register as sex offenders.

"Obviously, it illustrates that the situation is even worse than we had anticipated," she said. "We had originally disclosed 33 names. But I think that's true of other dioceses, that they're showing higher numbers.

"People are very concerned, especially with the sex registry. These people are living in the community. In the current climate, it's a very topical issue. Parents are fearful. We don't know who they are."

Mr. Delisle said he is not aware of any plan to make public the names of priests, either accused or removed from the ministry.
 

Telegram financial arrangement with Worcester Dioceses revealed.

The Worcester Voice has learned of a previously undisclosed financial arrangement between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

The Diocese of Worcester annual report for 2003 says that The Catholic Free Press subsidy from the diocese is $100,000. Additionally, The Catholic Free Press receives $400,000 from parishes and $300,000 in ad revenue, along with assorted donations.

The direct payment amount made to the Telegram & Gazette for printing fees has not been publicly disclosed. 

According to Margaret Russell, editor of the diocesan newspaper and a former Telegram employee, the paper is printed at the Telegram plant in Millbury. The Telegram has been printing The Catholic Free Press for the past three or four years on approval of the Board of the diocesan newspaper.

According to an article in Worcester Magazine, aggressive news reporting by Telegram reporters Rich Nangle and Kathy Shaw on the church scandal in Worcester County slowed dramatically in December after what the magazine called run-ins with Telegram management over the coverage. Bishop Daniel Reilly has been a frequent critic of coverage of the clergy abuse issue in that newspaper.

The Worcester Voice questions whether telegram ever made filings similar to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald and other newspapers that would further open up diocesan and court records regarding clergy abuse in this area.  We do not recall seeing anything stories in the Telegram about them seeking an opening of the records.

Moral Authority Missing  

Boston Herald

Hypocrisy, thy name is Dupre. Bishop Thomas L. Dupre to be exact. The leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield resigned Wednesday, just a day after Springfield’s leading newspaper submitted questions to the diocese about allegations Dupre had sexually abused two boys in the 1970s.

It’s horrible that Dupre may have betrayed the trust of the boys and their families as a parish priest 30 years ago. And it’s even worse that Dupre more recently has mishandled abuse allegations against other diocesan priests – and has been roundly criticized for protecting predators over victims.

But the gall of the man to have spent the past several weeks going from parish to parish in Western Massachusetts to garner opposition amongst the Catholic faithful to any recognition of gay relationships.

“When the family is sick, the nation suffers as well,” Dupre told a congregation in Hadley. Referring to the breakdown of the institution of marriage, Dupre said, “We have also experienced the disastrous consequences on family life and on children.”

As opposed to the disastrous consequences of sexual abuse committed by priests, Bishop?

Dupre sought approval of his resignation from the Vatican shortly after a mother had come forward to accuse him of molesting her son, according to The Springfield Republican.

To the have the audacity to use his moral authority as bishop to tell Catholics where they should stand on gay unions is beyond the pale.

The Catholic Church has every right to stand against gay marriage and lobby for its point of view. Its cause, though, is immensely harmed for being led by an alleged pedophile and pedophile-protector.

February 13, 2004

Crisis of conscience, question of quality
The T&G’s coverage of the scandal in the Catholic Church is not what it used to be

For two years, Telegram & Gazette reporters Richard Nangle and Kathy Shaw led the paper’s coverage of the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church and the Worcester Diocese. That reporting was so voluminous that it remains archived on its own page on the T&G’s Web site, titled “Crisis in the Church.”

Check the dates on that page and you’ll see that while there are still stories being produced, local coverage has slowed dramatically. Nangle and Shaw’s bylines disappear after Dec. 5, 2003. On that date, Nangle filed his last piece on the subject. It detailed Superior Court Judge John Connor’s order that lawyers involved in one sexual abuse-related civil lawsuit against a priest speak “in a normal tone” during depositions.

Every church scandal story since then has been written either by other T&G personnel, pulled off wire services such as the Associated Press, culled from The Boston Globe, or simply not covered at all.

As it turns out, late last year Nangle and Shaw quit the church scandal beat after reported run-ins with management — specifically, with T&G Acting City Editor Roger Leo, their immediate supervisor — over the tone and content of their stories. Leo, a longtime veteran of the T&G who was previously posted at the paper’s North County office, is filling in for City Editor Jay Whearley. He did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
 

‘We are on road to recovery’

It shows that 45 priests have been accused of sexual abuse of a minor in the 53-year history of the diocese. (Forty-three were diocesan priests and two belonged to other dioceses.)

In all, there have been 112 allegations of clergy sexual abuse of minors over the 53 years, according to the report. Eighty-one of those claims were substantiated or deemed credible; another 31 were unsubstantiated and two were proven false.
Though the vast majority of the allegations were brought, either to the diocese or to police,

The bishop’s report shows that $2,280,833 (we know $800,000 was paid to one victim alone according to a legal filings) has been paid to victims in settlements since 1950; the majority of that total, about $1.47 million, was covered by the diocese’s insurance companies with the diocese itself paying the remainder through the bishop’s discretionary funds.
According to the DA  he reported to have investigated 57 priests of the Diocese of Worcester who were accused of sexual misconduct.  The dioceses was well aware they had many sexual predators among themselves for years and took no action to protect children.  Only when publicly exposed did the Bishop seek removal.

Survey: More clergy abuse cases than previously thought

Allegations of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church appear to have involved hundreds more priests than previous estimates suggest.

A survey of U.S. Catholic dioceses conducted by the Associated Press and released Tuesday found that 1,341 clergy members have been accused of molesting children since the 1950s. (Related graphic: Scope of accusations broadens)

February 11, 2004

Diocese details number of sex abuse cases

The scope of sex abuse accusations against Roman Catholic clergy since 1950 appears to be much greater than previously estimated by victim groups and the media, an Associated Press review of reports from dioceses has found. The AP contacted dioceses across the country and found that 1,341 clergy members have been accused of molesting minors, with more than half the dioceses yet to report.

"What it's really doing is showing us in black and white that the problem is much worse than any of us thought," said Sue Archibald, president of The Linkup, a Kentucky-based victim advocacy group. ....that the number of victims is underreported. She said many victims call her agency to report abuse and get help instead of going to the church. Still others, she said, never report it at all or only confide in family or friends.

Scope of sex abuse accusations against clergy greater than estimated

The scope of sex abuse accusations against Roman Catholic clergy since 1950 appears to be much greater than estimated by victims' groups and the news media, an Associated Press review of reports from dioceses has found.

The American church will make an unprecedented nationwide accounting of abuse claims and costs later this month, and some bishops already have started releasing local figures. The AP contacted dioceses across the country and found that 1,341 clergy members have been accused of molesting minors, with more than half the dioceses yet to report.

"What it's really doing is showing us in black and white that the problem is much worse than any of us thought," said Sue Archibald, president of the Linkup, a Kentucky victim advocacy group.

February 10, 2004

Attorney General Tom Reilly assistance in prosecution of criminal element requested.

Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly has been contacted to seek an investigation into Worcester District Attorney John Conte's disrespect for the enforcement of the law.   Mr. Conte's latest revelations clearly display his option to ignore criminal conduct by the Worcester Diocesan Corporation Sole.   For example, we know that on February 15, 2002 Bishop Reilly was actively concealing information on  the background of an accused clergy member who he had reassigned.  Bishop Reilly's  so bold as to mislead a Pastor, Fr. John Doran, who then passed along the false information in writing to a to a parent of a child in St Leo's Parish.

 "Cash Settlement? NO, Telegram continues to confuse the O'Doneghue and Inzerillo cases.  Bishop Reilly told me yesterday 'No cash settlement for Fr Inzerillo.'"  We know this is false and that $300,000 was paid in the Inzerillo case.

To characterize the Diocese as an "Active Witness" rather than an "Active Participant" revels the reality of the disassociation of DA Conte from the people of Worcester County.  His attempt to control all avenues of information by using the grand jury subpoenas at his leisure rather than conveying a "Special Grand Jury"  just shows the depth of distortion that went into protecting the Worcester Diocese.

The tracking of this letter will be posted on the web site as soon as information is available.

February 5, 2004

DA Report Misleads the Public and Leaves Children at Risk.

reply to Worcester District attorney John Conte's clergy abuse report of February 2004

Freda, Pusateri defend diocesan review committee

LEOMINSTER -- When the judicial vicar of the Worcester Catholic Diocese asked Leominster City Councilor Claire Freda to help review sex-abuse allegations against area priests, Freda needed some time to mull it over.

"The stories are heartbreaking," Pusateri said. "One lady, when she got started, just continued to pour her heart. They usually come with a psychiatric counselor. Some come with a lawyer. Some come with an entourage."

Freda said she hopes to hear from those affected by the crisis when Nugent and other church officials hold a meeting on their work at St. Anna's church hall in Leominster on Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m.

Voice note: Again, we see hand picked members from within society in positions of authority attempt to use there positions as means of leveraging safety to children for the Catholic Church.  It is Ms Freda who is uninformed, with her version of strained presentation of facts.  Her position is of an advisory capacity only, and her committee allowed Rev Jean-Paul Gagnon to remain within the dioceses for nine months, he was only removed when faced with mounting public and legal pressure.

February 2, 2004

through counsel and filed their "Answer" in the 153 rd District Court of Tarrant County, Texas in