Press Conference April 12, 2012 - Transcripts
Article Index
The names of a dozen priests named in settlements reached with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston were released in a press conference held on April 12, 2012. Watch the videos or review the transcripts below.
GARABEDIAN: Good morning, I am attorney Mitchell Garabedian, Boston Massachusetts. To my right is victim Robert Perron, who was abused by Rickard O’Donovan, an Archdiocese of Boston priest. To my left is Ann Barrett Doyle and Susie Norman, both of BishopAccountability.org. They do great work in tracking in tracking the histories of priests. We are here this morning because I released the names of 12 pedophile priests new to my list. Six of those priests are religious brothers, actually five priests and one religious brother, serving in the Archdiocese of Boston at the time of the abuse. That now brings the number of priests who were serving within the Archdiocese of Boston, on my list, to 105, spanning decades. The pool of sexual abuse continues to overflow from the Archdiocese of Boston and around the world, damaging victims, their families, parishioners, friends, and the general public.
I found it necessary to release this list so that victims can heal, other victims can become empowered, and children can be kept safe. The Archdiocese, for its own reasons, refuses to release the full list, and that is very painful to many victims and unsafe to children and the general public. The victims who were abused on my latest list were abused between 1951 and 1991, about 40 years. They ranged in age from 37 to 67 years old when they reported the abuse, and when they were abused, they were anywhere from nine to seventeen years old.
One victim, who was sexually molested by Father James H. Lane, the former Boston police chaplain. The Archdiocese of Boston, through its investigators and attorneys, interviewed my client and his three brothers, and there was overwhelming corroborating evidence and evidence that my client was sexually abused by Father Lane, even though father Lane was a close family friend. My client had been molested at least ten times from ages ten to eleven and then one more time at Father Lane’s home in Marshfield, at age fifteen. Father Lane, as I said, was a close family friend; he actually married my client and baptized two of his children. And the question is, “Why did my client come forward?” My client came forward, because in 2010, he wanted to make peace. And he wanted to make peace so that he could have peace with his religion. He had suffered a heart attack, and had triple bypass surgery. He decided that the only way to make peace was to come forward about Father Lane. He had reported the abuse as early as 36 years ago, again 30 years ago, another brother found out at about 15 years ago. He had told another brother five years ago. It was not a secret. Many family members knew. It was very painful for him to come forward.
To my right is Robert Perron. He was molested from ages nine to eleven, approximately twenty times, if not more, by Father Rickard O’Donovan, at St. Coleman’s church, in Brockton, in the rectory. Father O’Donovan befriended my client because he was bagging groceries in a store, near the church, in which his mother worked. He befriended his mother and Robert, and Robert will tell you his story, about the tragedy, which he has had to live with. Over twenty times, he was sexually molested by Rickard O’Donovan.
In each and every one of these cases, that I have posted, the victims have been found credible, and the settlements have been either five or six figures. The determination was not inconclusive. It was that my clients were found credible; there was corroborative evidence and direct evidence. The victims should be extremely proud of coming forward and telling the truth, taking the weight off their shoulders, and healing. For they are not only speaking for themselves, but they are speaking for other victims.
As to the other cases, not involving the priests serving in Boston, those priests or brothers were associated with Ohio, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, whether they be dioceses, or orders, or just members of religious organizations. Clergy sexual abuse is international in scope, and is ongoing and continuous. Right now I represent 21 victims who were sexually molested in Haiti in the United States District Court in Connecticut. I filed twenty lawsuits. The perpetrator, Douglas Perlitz, was working in a Jesuit-run institution, which was also overseen by Fairfield University in Malta (the Knights of Malta). Most of those children were molested after 2002, when the National Catholic Conference of Bishops instituted their policies for the safety of children. Douglas Perlitz received a 19 year and 7 month jail sentence for sexually molesting children. I will have Robert Perron address you now. Thank you.
Any questions first?
AUDIENCE QUESTION: Are there only two new names out of the twelve, is that right?
GARABEDIAN: No, out of the twelve, there were actually seven new names that have never been listed before. I can give you the names if you want them. The names are Brother Peter-Claver, Father James H. Lane, Father James Nickel, Father Rickard O’Donovan, Father Leonard Walsh, Brother Vincent Jerome, Father Augustus Scott.
AUDIENCE QUESTION: And out of those seven, two served in Boston?
GARABEDIAN: Well, actually, there are five in Boston, who were serving in the Archdiocese of Boston. Two were Archdiocesan priests: Father Lane and Father O’Donovan. But when a religious person or a priest works in an archdiocese such as Boston, the archdiocese is supposed to be supervising these priests. I have represented hundreds of victims against 105 priests or religious brothers or members of religious organizations who were working within the Archdiocese of Boston. Any other questions?
AUDIENCE QUESTION: Do you know where Brother Jerome worked?
GARABEDIAN: Yes, hold on one second. Yes, Brother Jerome, he was at Roselle Catholic High School in Roselle, New Jersey.
AUDIENCE QUESTION : Do you know how many of these new names, of these guys are deceased?
GARABEDIAN: Yes, one minute please.
DOYLE: If you look at the assignment histories that Susan just passed out, at the end, they note death dates for the ones we know are dead.
GARABEDIAN: Eight are deceased. Excuse me, seven are deceased. Of the twelve. One is in Wisconsin, Father Glen Davidowich. Brother Vincent Jerome is in Florida. We do not know where Brother Robert Burgess is. We do not know where Father Henry Rancourt is. And Father Augustus Scott is in North Carolina. Who is watching them? Nobody knows. That is why the archdiocese and the diocese and the orders around the country have an obligation, to list these priests, so that the public is made aware and children are kept safe.
AUDIENCE QUESTION: Talk a little more about Father Lane. (Someone) said he was a whistleblower and some people don’t believe in it.
GARABEDIAN: Father Paul Shanley was a whistleblower, too. So, given the fact that he was a whistleblower doesn’t mean that he sexually molested children. Just as in Father Paul Shanley’s case. Again, the Archdiocese interviewed my client, reviewed all the records I presented to them, interviewed the three brothers of my client, and one brother was even fifteen years younger than my client, and they came to the conclusion that he was credible. He came forward because he wanted to make peace with his Lord, as he stated.
AUDIENCE QUESTION: How old is your client, now?
GARABEDIAN: 56 years old. AUDIENCE QUESTION: Can you say what community he lives in?
GARABEDIAN: He lives in southern New Hampshire.
AUDIENCE QUESTION: In a Globe article today, it says that someone at a church where he worked described him as in tears, when he was telling him about Father Geoghan. What is your reaction to that? Coming to a settlement, for abusing another child?
GARABEDIAN: All I can say is that the evidence we presented was overwhelming. So I don’t know what kind of tears they were. I mean, I just don’t know. We presented individuals who gave stories that were consistent, who gave facts that were consistent. My client has been holding this in since a child. When he was eighteen, he told his best friend. Thirty years ago, he told his oldest brother. His oldest brother told another brother. Five years ago he told another brother. His sister knew. Father Lane even presided at my client’s mother’s funeral. It was just very difficult. There was an argument after the funeral between brothers, not involving my client, brothers of the family, because of Father Lane. Father Lane was very close to the family. He gained access to my client through the parents.
Important Announcements
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"Diocese of Manchester settles 1970s sexual-abuse claim," Manchester NH Union Leader, March 26, 2024
Assignment Record for Father Alfred L. Janetta -
"'They're self-inflicted wounds': Buffalo Diocese bankruptcy moves into year four," wkbw.com, March 4, 2024
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Names of 4 priests and 1 worker released, bringing the total to 406!Released in March 2024
Results/List -
"Second judge in Wisconsin rules defrocked cardinal Theodore McCarrick not competent to stand trial," BishopAccountabilty.org, January 11, 2024, citing the Boston Globe on January 10, 2024
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"Three brothers allege sexual abuse at Saint John’s in mid-1960s," Community Advocate, January 4, 2024
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Names of 11 sexually abusive clergy released, bringing the total to 401!Released in October 2023
Individual Records -
"Deerfield Academy reaches 6th sexual abuse settlement against former math teacher," Masslive.com, October 18, 2023
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"Mitchell Garabedian: The Lawyer Who Helped Expose the Boston Priest Scandal", BishopAccountability.org, May 23, 2023
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"Former altar boy's lawsuit against former New Bedford priest alleging sexual abuse settled," Yahoo and The Standard-Times, May 9, 2023
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Names of 7 sexually abusive clergy released, bringing the total to 390!Released in October 2022
Results/List -
Names of 22 sexually abusive clergy released, bringing the total to 383!Released in April 2022
Individual Records -
Additional Archdiocese of Boston Clergy Names Released! Details on 5 Abusive Priests and 1 Deacon (link to pdf) Released in July 2021
Individual Records Complaints Filed -
Additional Priests' Names Released! Details on 10 Abusive Priests (link to pdf) Released in May 2021
Individual Records -
Archdiocese of Hartford – Fr. Kenneth Bonadies publicly outed as a sexual abuser Hartford Courant, May 5, 2021
Abusive Priest Details
- Father Alfred L. Jannetta – Diocese of Manchester
- Monsignor Joseph C. Ansaldi – Archdiocese of New York
- Father Pasquale J. Barletta – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Michael Amy -- Diocese of Erie
- Father Richard Barry, O.M.I. - Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Father Thomas J. Bender -- Diocese of Allentown
- Monsignor Charles Beausang – Diocese of Camden
- Father Gerard Boisvert – Diocese of Fall River
- Father Kenneth Bonadies - Archdiocese of Hartford
- Father Douglas V. Borowski – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Kevin M. Bray, O.S.B. – Archdiocese of Newark, Diocese of Paterson, Diocese of Wilmington
- Father James F. Buckley – Diocese of Fall River
- Father Leo Bujnowski – Diocese of San Angelo
- Father Leo Burchianti – Diocese of Pittsburgh
- Father Edward J. Byington – Diocese of Fall River
- Father Gerard Chasse – Diocese of Rockville Centre
- Father Anthony Cipolla – Diocese of Pittsburgh
- Father George H. Clements – Archdiocese of Chicago
- Father James H. Coffey - Archdiocese of Boston
- Father James Collins – Diocese of Fresno (formerly known as the Diocese of Monterey-Fresno)
- Father Charles G. Collins – Diocese of Rockville Centre
- Father Denis A. Conte -Archdiocese of Boston
- Brother Edward C. Courtney – C.F.C.
- Father John H. Curley – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Thomas J. Crum – Diocese of Youngstown
- Father Alphonse Dallinger – Diocese of Brooklyn
- Father Arthur Devlin, S.M. – Marist Fathers of Boston, a/k/a Society of Mary of the U.S.A.
- Father Leon Dicks, O.F.M.Conv. - Diocese of Trenton - Conventual Franciscans, Province of the Immaculate Conception
- Father Lawrence W. Donovan – Diocese of Trenton
- Father Robert Dunphy – Diocese of Camden
- Deacon William Emerson – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Robert D. Fay - Archdiocese of Boston
- Monsignor J. Francis Feenan – Diocese of Paterson
- Father Romano J. Ferraro – Diocese of Brooklyn, Diocese of Methuen
- Father Merle Fisher - Marist Fathers
- Father Joseph L. Fitzharris – Archdiocese of Chicago
- Father Conran Free, C.P. - Congregation of the Passion (“Passionists”) - Diocese of Scranton
- Father Lawrence Gadek – Archdiocese of Newark
- Father Richard M. Galdon – Archdiocese of Newark
- Father Brian Gallagher, S.S.C.
- Father Vincent J. Gallo – Diocese of Brooklyn
- Father Michael Garry – Diocese of Trenton
- Father James M. Gibbons - Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Augustine M. Giella – Diocese of Harrisburg
- Father Denis Ginty – Archdiocese of Los Angeles
- Father J. Gerard Griffin– Diocese of Trenton, Diocese of Springfield
- Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez
- Monsignor James J. Haddad - Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Michael H. Hansen – Archdiocese of Newark
- Father Patrick J. Healy – Diocese of Erie
- Monsignor Herman Heide – Archdiocese of New York
- Father Douglas U. Hermansen – Diocese of Trenton
- Father Charles Herr – Archdiocese of Newark
- Father Donald Hickey – Diocese of Trenton
- Father Daniel M. Holihan – Archdiocese of Chicago
- Father Ernest Karl Huller – Diocese of Springfield
- Monsignor Thomas M. Jordan – Diocese of Scranton
- Father Charles Kane – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Thomas C. Kelley – Diocese of Erie
- Monsignor Joseph P. Kelly – Diocese of Scranton
- Father Robert J. Klem, C.S.B. – Congregation of St. Basil, a.k.a. the Basilians, and the Diocese of Rochester
- Father Eugene Kwapisz, O.F.M. Conv. - Order of Minors Friar Conventual, St. Anthony of Padua Province - Diocese of Trenton
- Serio “Charlie” La Penna - Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Victor C. LaVoie - Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Roger R. Leblanc - Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Theodore F. Llanos – Archdiocese of Los Angeles
- Father Salvatore Luzzi – Diocese of Erie
- Father Gerald F. Lyons – Diocese of Trenton
- Father Patrick Francis Magee – Diocese of Trenton
- Monsignor Daniel Martin – Diocese of Erie
- Father George Maslar, O.M.F.Conv. (Conventual Franciscans)
- Father James McAuliffe – Diocese of Scranton
- Father Maurus McBarron, O.S.B. (Benedictines)
- Father Paul R. McCarthy – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father James McDonnell – Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Father Joseph McHugh – Diocese of Trenton
- Father Joseph F. McGarvey – Diocese of Camden
- Father Francis G. McInerney - Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Thomas McKenna – Diocese of Pittsburgh
- Father William McKeone – Diocese of Trenton
- Father Paul J. McLaughlin – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father F. Dominic Menna – Archdiocese of Boston (at times indexed as “Fiori D. Menna”)
- Father John L. Murray – Diocese of Erie
- Monsignor John O’Donnell – Archdiocese of Los Angeles
- Father Francis E. O’Brien, Jr. – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Denis O’Driscoll, S.M.A. – Society of African Missions
- Father Martin O’Hara – Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Father George Parme – Diocese of Pittsburgh
- Father Gabriel Patil, c.r.s.p. – Diocese of Allentown / The Barnabites
- Father Robert Patterson – Archdiocese of Newark
- Father John P. Paul – Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Father Michael Pecharich – Diocese of Orange
- Father John Piatkowski – Diocese of Erie
- Father William Presley – Diocese of Erie
- Father Joseph J. Pucci, O.M.I.
- Father Paul V. Rattigan – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Michael J. Regan
- Brother Remigius, C.F.X., a/k/a Francis O’Lone – Xaverian Brothers
- Father Joseph P. Rice – Archdiocese of Newark
- Brother Donald Richard, F.M.S. - Archdiocese of Newark - Marist Brothers of the Schools
- Father Edward Richard – Diocese of Manchester
- Father Thomas A. Riley – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Eugene Riordan, S.M.A. – Society of African Missions
- Father James J. Rosch – Diocese of Albany
- Father Sylvio Ruest – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Robert F. Ryan – Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Father John Salvucci – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father William I. Shinnick - Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Edward Shoback – Diocese of Scranton
- Father David Soderlund – Diocese of Allentown
- Father Leonard Spanburgh – Archdiocese of Newark
- Father Francis Stinner – Archdiocese of New York
- Father John Stonebridge – Diocese of Brooklyn
- Father Gerard Sudol – Archdiocese of Newark
- Father Bernard L. Sullivan – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father John T. Sullivan – Diocese of Manchester, Diocese of Grand Rapids, Diocese of Gallup, Diocese of Phoenix
- Father T. Raymond Sullivan – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Patrick J. Tague – Archdiocese of Boston
- Father Arthur Taraborelli – Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Father Toribio Villacastin – Archdiocese of Hartford
- Father Robert J. Vonnahmen – Diocese of Belleville
- Father Michael Wempe – Archdiocese of Los Angeles
- Father Michael Weston – Archdiocese of Chicago
- Father Harold Robert White – Diocese of Denver
- Father Benjamin D. Wysolmerski – Diocese of Burlington
- Father Theodore Zabowski – Diocese of Pittsburgh
In The Media
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"Diocese of Manchester settles 1970s sexual-abuse claim,"Manchester NH Union Leader, March 26, 2024
Assignment Record for Father Alfred L. Janetta -
"Deerfield Academy settles child sexual abuse claim involving longtime athletics employee," Daily Hampshire Gazette, July 25, 2023
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"3 people sue cardinal, bishops, over alleged sex abuse by Arlington Catholic High ex-principal," Bishop Accountability.org, May 22, 2023
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"Third alleged sex abuse victim from one priest’s time in Ohio Valley comes forward,"BishopAccountability.org, May 15, 2023
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"Caught between the mob and a predatory priest, a survivor finds his voice," Boston Globe, April 18, 2023
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"Vermont Catholic Diocese settles sex abuse lawsuit targeting South Burlington priest," WCAX.com, May 17, 2022
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"Archdiocese of Chicago settles sex abuse claim against the Rev. George Clements," Chicago Sun Times, April 26, 2022
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"Woman accuses former Bridgeport priest of sexual abuse," WTNH, Bridgeport, CT, February 23, 2022
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"Fall River Diocese: Three Priests ‘Credibly’ Accused of Child Abuse," WBSM-AM/AM 1420, Fall River, Fairhaven, MA, December 13, 2021
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Boston archdiocese settles two new lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by priests, Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA, November 14, 2021