Catholic Clergy Abuse in Massachusetts

This section provides a list of Catholic Church clergy in the state of Massachusetts who have been publicly accused of adult and/or child sexual abuse.

Some of these cases were brought to light after The Boston Globe published a series of articles in early 2002 that exposed widespread sexual abuse by clergy affiliated with the Archdiocese of Boston. As a result of the Globe’s efforts, many people who were abused as children by local Catholic clergy were inspired to come forward. The Church has agreed to several multi-million-dollar settlements, with still more pending. It is likely that there are other victims across Massachusetts and other parts of the U.S. who have yet to be heard.

Various Roman Catholic dioceses in Massachusetts have been accused of having harbored individuals who misused their positions of authority to commit sexual assault and related crimes. These organizations include the Diocese of Fall River, the Diocese of Springfield, and the Diocese of Worcester.

Massachusetts Law on Sexual Abuse Cases

Under Massachusetts law, the statute of limitations for civil cases involving sexual assult in which the victim was under eighteen years of age is, generally, 35 years after the event occurred. However, the time limit does not commence until the victim has turned 18. If the victim discovers “an emotional or psychological injury” caused by the abuse after the normal statute of limitations expires, then the actionable period is seven years after this discovery is made.

The same statute of limitations applies to individuals who are accused of “negligent supervision or conduct” that contributed to another person’s sexual abuse of a minor.

For criminal cases involving sexual abuse of minors, the statute of limitations is 27 years from the time the incident was reported to law enforcement, or from the date the victim reached the age of 16.

How Can You Seek Help for a Clergy Abuse Case?

If you or someone close to you was sexually abused by a member of the Catholic clergy, please contact Saunders & Walker, P.A. You may qualify for substantial financial compensation, even if the event(s) in question occurred long ago. You can call us for a free consultation at (727) 579-4500.

Note on the List of Accused Priests and Other Clergy

The names on this list were taken from the Massachusetts page of bishop-accountability.org, a site that maintains a nationwide database of allegations of sexual abuse involving Catholic clergy. Feel free to visit their website for more information on this list of accused priests and the sexual abuse claims associated with them.

Individuals listed below should be presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Some of these individuals have been publicly named by a diocese, religious order, or another Catholic organization that has released a list of clergy who have been the subject of credible accusations. Others have been named in civil suits that resulted in out-of-court settlements. Nonetheless, accusations and settlements should not be considered proof of guilt.

The following is a list of priests accused of abuse in Massachusetts. This list includes a number of non-priests who were affiliated with a Massachusetts diocese.