Diocesan Response to the Sexual Abuse Crisis

January 7, 2021
Dear Friends in Christ,

As we begin this New Year, I pray that God will bless us all with His grace and bring peace to those in our community who have suffered greatly during the pandemic and the many other challenges we have all faced in 2020.

The scourge of clergy sexual abuse has deeply wounded so many people in our Church. It has touched every diocese worldwide and continues to affect us all – laity and clergy – in significant ways. Today, it is with a contrite heart and commitment to the healing process that I have published a list of clergy, diocesan and religious related to the Diocese of Fall River who have been credibly or publicly accused of committing sexual abuse of a minor.

The review of Diocesan records, some going back 70 years, was incredibly arduous and time consuming. While this review has taken longer than first anticipated, it was crucial that we took the time needed to do it right.

To all survivors of child sexual abuse, I am deeply sorry. We as a Church failed when you were most vulnerable. I firmly resolve to do all we can to help you heal, make certain we are accountable, and protect our children so that no other child suffers as you have.

It is part of our sacred mission to remain vigilant in efforts to protect children and vulnerable adults in our parishes, schools, programs and ministries. As we conducted this review of Diocesan records, our Diocese also revamped our Safe Environment program to strengthen our child protection efforts, as well as our protocols for handling allegations and responding to those impacted by abuse.

We require all personnel to submit to a background check, agree to a code of conduct, and complete a Safe Environment Training Program. Our Diocesan Policy for Protecting the Faithful has detailed instructions for Diocesan personnel who receive allegations of abuse. In addition, many Diocesan personnel are mandated reporters. We have a dedicated Victim Assistance Coordinator, a licensed social worker, who is the first point of contact when an allegation is received and works closely with me to ensure that we are adequately addressing the rights and needs of any victims.

If you, or anyone you know, have suffered abuse by a priest or someone affiliated with the Diocese of Fall River, I urge you to call our Victim Assistance Coordinator at 508-985-6508 or visit our website. You have my assurance that your voice will be heard.

It is my prayerful and deepest hope that the publication of this list will help in the ongoing healing and care of survivors of clergy sexual abuse. They are of paramount concern to me and remain always in my prayers.

To every one of you who has suffered, I know that finding the ability to trust again is a slow and difficult journey. Together, may we find hope in Jesus Christ. May the Blessed Virgin Mary be a mother to us all, and may God grant us peace.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V.
Bishop of Fall River

The Edward Davis Company Review

Edward F. Davis is the President and CEO of The Edward Davis Company, a business strategy and security consulting and services firm. Davis has brought together a team of security and technology solutions experts including former federal, state, and local law enforcement, military officials, researchers and attorneys. Davis has been in law enforcement for 35 years. He served as the Police Commissioner of the City of Boston from December 2006 until October 2013. He led the highly successful response to the Boston Marathon bombing. While serving as Commissioner, Davis established a nationally recognized rebranding initiative stressing honesty and transparency using social media and direct contact with the community. Prior to that, Davis was the Superintendent of the Lowell Police Department, a position he held for 12 years and one he rose to after starting out as a patrol officer in 1978. He comes from a police family, which has allowed him to better understand the needs of police officers and the communities they serve. In his leadership roles in Boston and Lowell, Davis was responsible for the oversight and direction of all investigative divisions including the Crimes Against Children and Family Services Units. He is a recognized expert in crisis management and community policing. He brings with him a strong record of interagency collaboration and a broad range of local, state, national and international experience in law enforcement and public safety.

Commissioner Davis has been recognized for his efforts locally and nationally, including through the Police Executive Research Forum, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Major Cities Chiefs Association, where he held a board position. Davis was a past co-chair of the IACP, Research Advisory Committee since 2011. Davis was inducted into Evidence Based Policing Hall of Fame, George Mason University, in 2011.

Click Here to Read the Review Letter to Bishop da Cunha

Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Minor

Introduction

In 2019, in a public letter, Bishop da Cunha announced the intention of the Diocese of Fall River to publish a list of clergy against whom credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been made.

The list published here contains the names of clergy who have been incardinated or ministered in the Diocese of Fall River and have been credibly or publicly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. Most of the allegations pertain to abuse alleged to have taken place many decades ago; approximately half of those on this list are deceased. It is for the survivors of clergy sexual abuse that we publish this list. We know there has been grave damage done and that this is long overdue. It is the Diocese’s hope that publishing this list will help bring healing to the survivors and their families who have been so grievously harmed. The publication of this list is also an expression of our sincere commitment to transparency and accountability.

Compiling the List

The Diocese underwent a lengthy process to compile and maintain this list. The first steps involved the collection of 70 plus years of data. This was not clear cut given that files were kept in various locations, were neither digitized nor organized, and included everything from academic records, to vacation requests, to other forms of correspondence. Early on, it was quite clear that, historically, the record-keeping was inadequate and incomplete and that we would not be able to complete our review as quickly as we had hoped. While this review, conducted with the assistance of experts in the field, took longer than first thought, it was essential that we took the time needed to do it right.

Expert Assistance

An initial evaluation of the files was performed by former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Assistant Director William Gavin of The Gavin Group. After an initial review of the files, the Diocese engaged Kinsale Management Consulting, under the leadership of Kathleen McChesney, Ph.D., former Executive Assistant Director for the FBI and former head of the Office of Child Protection of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Among other things, Kinsale provides expertise on prevention and response to allegations of abuse of minors and vulnerable adults, and in this case conducted a detailed file review to identify allegations against individual priests.

The Diocese then engaged the law firm Ropes & Gray LLP to assist it in creating and publishing this list. Ropes & Gray conducted a further investigation and review of Diocesan records and legal files and, at the conclusion of its review, provided a summary of its findings to a core advisory group from the Diocese.

The Core Advisory Group consisted of:

Fr. Richard Wilson, Vicar General
Fr. John Murray, Moderator of the Curia
Mr. Kevin Kiley, Chancellor
Mrs. Lorraine Levy, Director of Professional Standards and Oversight
Mr. Michael Carroll, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer

After careful review, the Core Advisory Group presented its findings to The Edward Davis Company to conduct a third-party review (see The Edward Davis Company Review). Led by former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, The Edward Davis Company is comprised of a team of former law enforcement officials with deep knowledge of investigations and experience in protecting victims of crime. The Edward Davis Company was given access to clergy files and other relevant information, in order to advise Bishop da Cunha on whether the process (described above) was thorough, fair, and reasonable, to review the placement and category for each name considered for publication, and to present recommendations to Bishop da Cunha. After review and consideration by Bishop da Cunha, the published list reflects those recommendations.

Though the Diocese has taken great care to prepare this list, we understand that this information may still be imperfect. We appreciated the gravity of this effort and did all we could to make the best judgments based on the information available. We are committed to maintaining this list and updating it if and when new information becomes available.

Criteria and Standard of Proof

The Diocese prepared a standard of review to guide its decisions in preparing this list. It adopted the definitions of “minor” and “sexual abuse of a child” from the Diocesan Policy for Protecting the Faithful.

While the Diocese already had a review board in place, in 2020, it updated its policies and reconstituted the review board as the Ministerial Review Board. The purpose of the Ministerial Review Board is to review allegations made against clergy and make recommendations to the Bishop. The Ministerial Review Board includes a former Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court; a retired Senior Executive of the FBI; a Lieutenant Colonel Judge Advocate (Retired) with the United States Marine Corps with experience in sexual abuse matters; a psychologist specializing in child, adolescent and adult trauma and treatment of youth with sexual behavior problems; a licensed social worker; a registered nurse; and others. A complete list of Ministerial Review Board members and their titles can be found here.

When making determinations about the evidence presented to the MRB, the Ministerial Review Board Policy provides:

6.5 The Ministerial Review Board will be required to assess the credibility of the allegations, specifically whether the allegation has a “semblance of truth” under canon law, using a standard of proof approximating probable cause, and whether the allegations conform to the definition of sexual abuse of a minor as outlined in the policy developed and adopted by the Diocese of Fall River.

The Core Advisory Group adopted this same standard of proof in evaluating the credibility of the allegations made against a priest. It found allegations credible when they had “a ‘semblance of truth’ under canon law, using a standard of proof approximating probable cause[.]”

Frequently Asked Questions

The Diocese has published a “Frequently Asked Questions” document that addresses many of the topics raised, including:

The commitments of the Diocese pertaining to eradicating and addressing clergy sexual abuse;
Steps the Diocese takes when it receives an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult;
Review of Diocesan policies and procedures;
Prevention of child sexual abuse in Diocesan parishes, schools, and ministries;
Understanding the Ministerial Review Board and how it functions; and
Removal of credibly accused priests.

Quick Links

Lists of Clergy Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Minor:

Credibly Accused
Publicly Accused
Cases in Progress
Glossary of Terms
FAQ

The Edward Davis Company Review
Training and Education
Report an Incident of Abuse
Clergy List News Release

Credibly Accused

This category 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 previously defined and who were incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River and/or assigned to public ministry in the Diocese of Fall River.

This category is divided into three subcategories:

Incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River
Other Diocese
Religious Order

For those in sub-categories B and C, respectively, the priest was incardinated in another diocese or was a member of a religious order but exercised public ministry in the Diocese of Fall River.

A. Incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River

Name	Year of Birth	Year of Ordination	Diocese of Incardination	Assignment History in the Diocese of Fall River	Status
Andrade, Manuel Jr.	1926	1949	Diocese of Fall River	St. Anthony of Padua, Fall River St. John of God, Somerset Santo Christo, Fall River Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, New Bedford Our Lady of the Angels, Fall River Espirito Santo, Fall River Immaculate Conception, New Bedford Our Lady of Health, Fall River St. Michael, Fall River St. John the Baptist, New Bedford St. Anthony, Taunton	Deceased (1995)
Annunziato, Armando	1931	1956	Diocese of Fall River	St. Mary, North Attleboro St. Francis of Assisi, New Bedford St. Mary’s Home, New Bedford St. Vincent’s Home, Fall River St. Bernard, Assonet St. James, New Bedford St. Mary, Mansfield	Deceased (1993)
Avila, Jose M. Bettencourt e (aka George Avellar)1	1906	1930	Diocese of Fall River	St. Anthony, Taunton Immaculate Conception, New Bedford Our Lady of Health, Fall River St. Anthony, East Falmouth Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, New Bedford	Deceased (1988)
Baker, William F.	1949	1977	Diocese of Fall River	St. John, Attleboro St. Patrick, Falmouth Our Lady of Grace, Westport St. Mary, Seekonk St. Joseph, Fall River	Faculties Removed;Laicized (2015)
Barney, H. Stanley	1949	1975	Diocese of Fall River	St. Dominic, Swansea Sacred Heart, Fall River St. Pius X, South Yarmouth Our Lady of Victory, Centerville St. George, Westport St. Mary, Mansfield	Faculties Removed
Bernier, Adrien E.	1919	1957	Diocese of Fall River	St. Michael, Ocean GroveNotre Dame, Fall River St. Mathieu, Fall River Sacred Heart, New Bedford St. Anne, New Bedford	Deceased (1989)
Boffa, William J.	1949	1975	Diocese of Fall River	St. Louis and St. Joseph, Fall River Our Lady of Grace, Westport Immaculate Conception, North Easton St. Vincent de Paul Camp, Westport St. Joseph, Taunton Coyle & Cassidy High School, Taunton Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Seekonk St. John Neumann, East Freetown St. William, Fall River St. Stephen, Attleboro St. Pius X, South Yarmouth	Faculties Removed
Boulet, Normand J.	1940	1969	Diocese of Fall River	St. Hyacinth, New Bedford St. Stephen, Dodgeville St. Joseph, Attleboro Boy Scouts of America, Attleboro Immaculate Conception, Taunton Our Lady of Grace, Westport Boy Scouts of America, New Bedford St. Michael, Swansea St. Anthony, New Bedford St. Jacques, Taunton Boy Scouts of America, Taunton	Faculties Removed;Deceased (2015)
Bowen, Donald J.	1938	1964	Diocese of Fall River	St. Patrick, Somerset St. Joseph, North Dighton St. Mary, Norton St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro	Laicized (2007)
Buckley, James F.	1931	1959	Diocese of Fall River	St. Mary Cathedral, Fall River Sacred Heart, Fall River Immaculate Conception, Fall River St. Joan of Arc, Orleans St. Augustine, Vineyard Haven St. Margaret, Buzzards Bay Holy Redeemer, Chatham	Faculties Removed
Byington, Edward J.	1939	1970	Diocese of Fall River	St. John, Attleboro Sacred Heart, Taunton St. Patrick, Fall River St. Paul, Taunton St. George, Westport Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Seekonk Girl Scouts of America, Attleboro Area Sacred Heart, Fall River St. Francis, Hyannis St. Thomas More, Somerset	Faculties Removed; Deceased (2023)
Clark, James A.	1929	1955	Diocese of Fall River	St. Mary, New Bedford Bishop Feehan High School, Attleboro Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Taunton	Laicized (2000); Deceased (2011)
Connolly, Paul G.	1929	1956	Diocese of Fall River	St. Mary, Taunton Immaculate Conception, Fall River St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis St. Mary, New Bedford St. Elizabeth, Edgartown	Faculties Removed;Deceased (2007)
Cronin, John P.	1931	1957	Diocese of Fall River	St. Patrick, Fall River St. Vincent’s Home, Fall River St. Bernard Church, Assonet St. Joseph, Taunton Our Lady of Fatima, Swansea St. Joseph, North Dighton St. Anne, Fall River	Faculties Removed;Deceased (2014)
de Souza, Maurice	1912	1939	Diocese of Fall River	St. John the Baptist, New Bedford St. Anthony, East Falmouth St. Anthony of Padua, Fall River St. Anthony, Taunton Our Lady of Health, Fall River	Deceased (1996)
Degagne, Richard E	1954	1982	Diocese of Fall River	St. John, AttleboroHoly Name, Fall River St. Anthony of Padua, New Bedford Notre Dame, Fall RiverSacred Heart, North Attleboro Immaculate Conception, Taunton St. John Neumann, East Freetown Immaculate Conception, North Easton	Faculties Removed
DeMello, Arthur T.	1934	1962	Diocese of Fall River	Our Lady of Lourdes, Taunton Our Lady of Health, Fall River St. John of God, Somerset St. Mary, Taunton Immaculate Conception, New Bedford St. Elizabeth, Fall River	Faculties Restricted;Deceased (2004)
dos Reis, Arthur C.	1902	1926	Diocese of Fall River	Holy Family, East Taunton St. Michael, Fall River Espirito Santo, Fall River St. Anthony, Fall River Our Lady of Health, Fall River Santo Christo, Fall River	Deceased (1981)
Dupuis, J. Arthur G.	1907	1933	Diocese of Fall River	St. Joseph, Attleboro Notre Dame, Fall River St. Joseph Orphanage, Fall River St. Louis de France, Swansea	Deceased (1975)
Dylla, Hugo	1874	1899	Diocese of Fall River	Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Bedford Holy Rosary, Taunton St. Stanislaus, Fall River Holy Cross, Fall River	Deceased (1966)
Fahey, James W.	1944	1970	Diocese of Fall River	Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville Immaculate Conception, North Easton St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, South Attleboro	Faculties Restricted;Deceased (2016)
Fernandes, Stephen A.	1950	1976	Diocese of Fall River	St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro Holy Name, New Bedford Sts. Peter and Paul, Fall River St. James, New Bedford Christ the King, Mashpee St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis Our Lady of Fatima, New Bedford	Faculties Removed;Laicized (2008)
Fraga, Bento R.	1930	1956	Diocese of Fall River	St. John of God, Somerset St. Joseph, Taunton Holy Ghost, Attleboro St. John the Baptist, New Bedford St. Peter, Provincetown St. Paul, Taunton	Faculties Removed;Deceased (2012)
Furtado, Steven R.	1947	1973	Diocese of Fall River	Our Lady of Lourdes, Taunton St. Luke’s Hospital, New Bedford St. John, New Bedford Charlton Memorial Hospital, Fall River Sacred Heart, Fall River Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, New Bedford Our Lady of Health, Fall River St. Anthony of Padua, Fall River Espirito Santo, Fall River Holy Ghost, Attleboro	Faculties Removed;Deceased (2016)
Gomes, John A.	1942	1969	Diocese of Fall River	Our Lady of Lourdes, Taunton Boy Scouts of America, Taunton Area St. Anthony of Padua, Fall River Union-Truesdale Hospital, Fall River St. John of God, Somerset Sacred Heart, Oak Bluffs Our Lady of the Angels, Fall River St. Elizabeth, Fall River Annunciation of the Lord, Taunton St. Mary, South Dartmouth	Faculties Restricted
Herrera, Hernando	1967	1998	Diocese of Fall River	St. Joseph, Taunton Coyle & Cassidy High School, Taunton Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Seekonk St. Mary Cathedral, Fall River	Faculties Removed;Laicized (2004)
Higgins, Phillip J.	1937	1973	Diocese of Fall River	St. George, Westport St. Peter, Provincetown St. Lawrence, New Bedford	Faculties Removed;Deceased (2007)
Kaszynski, Robert S.	1933	1960	Diocese of Fall River	St. Patrick, Fall River St. Stanislaus, Fall River	Faculties Removed;Deceased (2014)
Keliher, Cornelius J.	1907	1932	Diocese of Fall River	St. Patrick, Wareham Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville St. Louis, Fall River Sts. Peter and Paul, Fall River St. Mary, Hebronville	Deceased (1993)
Kozanko, Andrew	1974	2000	Diocese of Fall River	Corpus Christi, East Sandwich Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, New Bedford St. Anne’s Hospital, Fall River Notre Dame, Fall River St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis	Faculties Restricted
Kuhn, Michael F. 2	1957	1977	Diocese of Fall River	St. Mary, Seekonk Bishop Feehan High School, Attleboro St. Mary Cathedral, Fall River Paul VI High School, Fairfax, VA St. Paul Chung, Chantilly, VA Siena Academy Montessori – St. Catherine of Siena, Great Falls, VA Youth Apostles Institute, McLean, VA Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, MD Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA St. John’s Catholic Prep, Baltimore, MD Marymount University, Arlington, VA	Faculties Restricted
Lacroix, Daniel W.	1959	1988	Diocese of Fall River	St. Vincent de Paul Camp, Westport Holy Name Church, New Bedford Holy Redeemer, Chatham St. Patrick, Wareham St. Mary, Mansfield St. Francis Xavier, Acushnet St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Seekonk St. Mary, New Bedford St. Joseph- St. Theresa, New Bedford Our Lady of Fatima, New Bedford	Faculties Removed
Landry, David J.	1962	1987	Diocese of Fall River	St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro St. Anne, Fall River St. Mary, Taunton Immaculate Conception, Taunton St. Jacques, Taunton St. Pius X, South Yarmouth Our Lady of Victory, Centerville	Faculties Removed;Laicized (2020)
Maguire, Joseph D.	1944	1970	Diocese of Fall River	St. James, New Bedford St. Patrick, Somerset St. Patrick, Falmouth Boy Scouts of Cape Cod Area St. Elizabeth, Edgartown Sacred Heart, Oak Bluffs St. Joseph, Taunton	Faculties Removed;Laicized (2007)
McCarthy, Raymond W.	1919	1945	Diocese of Fall River	Sacred Heart, Fall River St. Patrick, Somerset St. Patrick, Fall River St. Mark, Attleboro Falls Our Lady of Victory, Centerville St. John the Baptist, New Bedford	Faculties Removed;Deceased (2005)
Messier, Donald E.	1973	1968	Diocese of Fall River	St. Jean Baptiste, Fall River St. Mathieu, Fall River Our Lady of Fatima, New Bedford St. Patrick, Fall River St. Thomas More, Somerset Immaculate Conception, Taunton Marian Manor, Taunton	Faculties Restricted
Murphy, James E.	1935	1962	Diocese of Fall River	St. Patrick, Fall River St. Mary, Taunton Sacred Heart, Taunton St. Jacques, Taunton	Laicized (2006);Deceased (2020)
Neylon, Bruce M.	1948	1975	Diocese of Fall River	St. Mary, Mansfield Holy Name, Fall River St. Patrick, Wareham Sturdy Memorial Hospital, Attleboro St. John, Attleboro St. Mary, Seekonk St. Stanislaus, Fall River Holy Trinity, Fall River	Faculties Removed
Nichols, Herbert T.	1948	1975	Diocese of Fall River	St. Mary, New Bedford St. Joseph, Fall River St. Ann, Raynham St. Joseph, Taunton Boy Scouts of America, Attleboro-Taunton Area St. Mary, Taunton St. Anne, Fall River St. Joan of Arc, Orleans Charlton Memorial Hospital, Fall River St. James, New Bedford Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet St. Anthony of Padua, New Bedford St. Bernadette, Fall River	Faculties Removed
Norton, William W.	1941	1967	Diocese of Fall River	Sacred Heart, Taunton St. Kilian, New Bedford Cathedral Camp, East Freetown Bishop Stang High School, Dartmouth St. Mary’s Home, New Bedford Holy Name, New Bedford St. Mary, New Bedford St. Patrick, Wareham St. Patrick, Fall River St. Joseph, Woods Hole Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet Our Lady of Victory, Centerville St. Anne, Fall River St. Anne’s Hospital, Fall River	Deceased (2004)
Paquette, Edward O.	1928	1957	Diocese of Fall River	St. Mary, Taunton St. Mary, Mansfield St. Kilian, New Bedford	Faculties Removed;Laicized (2009)
Pegnam, John W.	1931	1960	Diocese of Fall River	St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis Immaculate Conception, Taunton St. Mary, Norton	Deceased (1996)
Porter, James R.	1935	1960	Diocese of Fall River	St. Mary, North Attleboro Sacred Heart, Fall River St. James, New Bedford	Faculties Removed;Laicized (1974);Deceased (2005)
Quinn, Justin J.	1926	1953	Diocese of Fall River	St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River St. Kilian, New Bedford St. Thomas More, Somerset St. Lawrence, New Bedford St. Elizabeth, Edgartown St. Rita, Marion Immaculate Conception, Fall River St. Anne, Fall River St. Mary’s Home, New Bedford Madonna Manor, Attleboro Sacred Heart, North Attleboro	Deceased (1996)
Rausch, Edward	1927	1954	Diocese of Fall River	St. John, Attleboro	Laicized (1971);Deceased (2014)
Robillard, Raymond A.	1940	1966	Diocese of Fall River	St. Hyacinth, New Bedford St. Joseph, Attleboro Notre Dame, Fall River Sacred Heart, New Bedford St. Louis, Fall River St. Jacques, Taunton St. Theresa, South Attleboro St. Stephen, Attleboro St. Pius X, South Yarmouth Holy Ghost, Attleboro Rose Hawthorne Lathrop Home, Fall River	Faculties Removed
Shovelton, William J.	1922	1946	Diocese of Fall River	Our Lady of the Isle, Nantucket St. Louis, Fall River St. Joseph, Fall River Sacred Heart, Fall River St. Thomas More, Somerset Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Seekonk St. William, Fall River	Deceased (2015)
Simoes, Gilbert J.	1933	1961	Diocese of Fall River	St. Michael, Fall River Our Lady of Mt Carmel, New Bedford Santo Christo, Fall River St. John the Baptist, Westport	Suspension from Ministry;Deceased (2009)
Tripp, Kevin F.	1942	1968	Diocese of Fall River	St. Patrick, Fall River Holy Name, Fall River St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro St. Luke’s Hospital St James, New Bedford	Laicized (2020)

1 The name George Avellar appeared on a list of clergy accused of sexual misconduct published by the Bristol County District Attorney in 2002. The Diocese has no record of an individual named George Avellar and believes that the name may be a mistranscription of Jose Avila.
2 While Father Kuhn is a priest incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River, he is a member of the Virginia-based Youth Apostles Institute. As such, after 2004 he ministered outside the Diocese of Fall River, largely in the Virginia area.

B. Other Diocese

Name	Year of Birth	Year of Ordination	Diocese of Incardination	Assignment History in the Diocese of Fall River	Status
Carrier, George R.1	1945	n/a	n/a	Cathedral Camp, East Freetown St. Vincent de Paul Camp, Westport St. Pius X, South Yarmouth	Deceased (2004)
Corbin, Anthony Andre	1929	1961	Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina	Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville Our Lady Queen of All Saints Church Chapel, Mashpee	Deceased (2008)

1 Seminarian.

C. Religious Order

Name	Year of Birth	Year of Ordination	Diocese of Incardination	Assignment History in the Diocese of Fall River	Status
Gaudin, Rene	1927	1957	Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC.)	St. Francis, Acushnet Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet	Deceased (2001)
Genevive, Frank	1956	1983	Order of Friars Minor (O.F.M.)	St. Margaret, Buzzards Bay Guarin, Angelo Michael
Guarin, Angelo Michael	1970	1998	Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate (F.F.I.)	Our Lady’s Chapel, New Bedford	Faculties Revoked
McManus, Francis J.	1941	1973	Society of Jesus (S.J.)	Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River St. James, New Bedford St. Luke’s Hospital, New Bedford	Deceased (2015)
Mulryan, Thomas J.1	1932	1955 (perpetual profession of vows)	Congregation of the Holy Cross (C.S.C.)	Msgr. James Coyle High School, Taunton	Dispensed from religious vows Deceased (2009)
Nickel, James R.	unknown	1970	Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC.)	Holy Trinity, West Harwich Our Lady of the Annunciation, Dennisport St. Mary, Fairhaven	Deceased (2008)
Powers, John A.	1925	1952	Dominican Friars (O.P.)	St. Patrick, Falmouth	Removed from ministry Deceased (2010)

1 Religious brother.

Cases in Progress

This category includes living priests of the Diocese of Fall River who have been publicly accused of sexually abusing a minor, but the canonical and/or civil proceedings involving these priests have not yet been resolved. There has not yet been a determination either under canon (Church) or civil law regarding whether the allegations against clergy listed here are credible. Consistent with the principles of the American justice system and Church law, these individuals are afforded a presumption of innocence. The priests in this section are prohibited from engaging in public ministry while their cases are in process.

Publicly Accused

This category includes priests, seminarians, or other religious who were either incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River or who were assigned to public ministry in the Diocese of Fall River, and have been publicly named in media reports, third party lists prepared by advocacy groups and/or other dioceses and religious orders, as having allegations against them involving sexual abuse of a minor. The individuals included are clergy or other religious against whom a publicized accusation was made, but for whom the Diocese lacks sufficient information at this time to make its own determination whether the accusation was credible. In some cases, a religious order or other diocese may have determined that the priest was credibly accused after investigation or upon admission of the priest.

Note also that, for priests who were incardinated in another diocese or were members of a religious order, the Diocese often lacked complete information about the priest, including assignment history. However, the Diocese has included assignments within the Diocese of Fall River and other information about the priest, based on the records and information from official sources available to the Diocese.

A Monsignor Albert Berube was publicly accused in 2002, after his death, but the allegations were not substantiated after an investigation. For this reason, he is not included on the publicly accused list; he is mentioned here only to explain this outcome, because the determination that the allegations were unsubstantiated was not previously made public.

** Because certain individuals were not incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River, the Diocese lacked complete information for many of these individuals, including assignment history. That information has been included where it was available from official sources.

Name	Year of Birth	Year of Ordination	Diocese of Incardination	Assignment History in the Diocese of Fall River	Status
Acres, John H.1	See note ** below.	See note ** below.	n/a	Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River	Left order
Brinker, Brian	1957	1988	Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York	Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York	Suspended
Byrne, Joseph	1943	1969	Archdiocese of Boston	St. Patrick, Falmouth St. Anthony, Falmouth	Removed from ministry Deceased (2014)
Cavanagh, Charles	1949	1980	Unknown	Corpus Christi, East Sandwich	Current location unknown
Cullen, William2	See note ** below.	1965	n/a	Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River Our Lady of Victory, Centerville St. John Neumann, East Freetown	Removed from ministry Deceased (2010)
Dawber, Stephen F.3	See note ** below.	1969	n/a	Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River Our Lady of Victory, Centerville St. John Neumann, East Freetown	Impeded Deceased (2010)
Delgado, Alexander4	1967	n/a	n/a	Cathedral Camp, East Freetown	Not incardinated Current whereabouts unknown
Donachie, Adrian5	See note ** below.	See note ** below.	n/a	Our Lady’s Chapel, New Bedford	Deceased (1979)
Fredette, Alfred	1926	1952	n/a	National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, Attleboro	Deceased (2000)
Hession, Mark R.6	1958	1984	Diocese of Fall River	St. Patrick, Wareham St. Joan of Arc, Orleans Holy Name, Fall River St. Mary, New Bedford Charlton Memorial Hospital, Fall River St. Joseph, Taunton Holy Rosary, Fall River St. Patrick, Falmouth Our Lady of Victory, Centerville Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Seekonk	Faculties Suspended
Kossak, Michael J.7	See note ** below.	See note ** below.	n/a	Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River	Dismissed
Lima, Jose Alfonso	1962	1992	Diocese of São João del-Rei, Brazil	St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis St. Anthony, Falmouth Good Shepherd Parish, Martha’s Vineyard St. Pius X, South Yarmouth St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River	Faculties within the Diocese of Fall River removed
Motherway, Thomas F.	1942	1969	Archdiocese of Boston	Our Lady of Victory, Centerville	Deceased (2003)
O’Dea, Thomas	1934	1960	Diocese of Fall River	St. James, New Bedford St. Lawrence, New Bedford St. Francis of Assisi, New Bedford Sacred Heart, New Bedford	Deceased (1999)
Orteneau, Eugene F.8	See note ** below.	See note ** below.	n/a	Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River	Left order Deceased (2009)
Rancourt, Henry J.	1930	1957	n/a	Immaculate Conception, North Easton Our Lady of Fatima, New Bedford Good Shepherd, Vineyard Haven	See note ** below.
Roos, Richard H.9	See note ** below.	See note ** below.	n/a	Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River	Impeded
Spagnolo, Nicholas	See note ** below.	1953	n/a	Limited faculties to assist in charitable work on Cape Cod	Deceased (2013)
Walsh, James P.10	See note ** below.	See note ** below.	n/a	Round Hill retreat house, Dartmouth	Impeded Deceased (2009)
Wolf, Richard J.11	See note ** below.	See note ** below.	n/a	Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River	Deceased (1986)

1 Fr. Acres is listed by the USA Northeast Province of Jesuits as having admitted to a credible allegation of abuse of a minor occurring in 1987, during which time he was assigned to Boston College High School in Boston, MA. (https://www.jesuitseast.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2020/07/ Jesuits_Northeast_List.pdf)
2 Fr. Cullen is listed by the USA Northeast Province of Jesuits as having a credible allegation of abuse of a minor occurring between 1995-1996, during which time he was assigned to Nativity Prep in Boston, MA. (https://www.jesuitseast.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2020/07/ Jesuits_Northeast_List.pdf)
3 Fr. Dawber is listed by the USA Northeast Province of Jesuits as having a credible allegation of abuse of a minor occurring between 1970-1976 during which time he was assigned to Boston College High School in Boston, MA. (https://www.jesuitseast.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2020/07/ Jesuits_Northeast_List.pdf)
4 Seminarian.
5 Fr. Donachie is listed by the Franciscan Friars Holy Name Province as having a substantiated allegation against him. (https://hnp.org/protecting-gods-children/list-of-friars-with-substantiated-allegations/)
6 On December 11, 2020, Fr. Hession was indicted by a Barnstable County grand jury. While criminal proceedings continue, his faculties remain suspended and review by the Diocese is on hold.
7 Fr. Kossak is listed by the Jesuit West Province for the Society of Jesus as having a credible allegation of abuse of a minor occurring in 1980. (https://www.jesuitswest.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/07/ JW_List_0720_EnglishR11.pdf)
8 Fr. Orteneau is listed by the USA Northeast Province of Jesuits as having a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor occurring between 1992-1995, during which time he was assigned to the parish of St. Thomas Aquinas in Storrs, CT. (https://www.jesuitseast.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2020/07/ Jesuits_Northeast_List.pdf)
9 Fr. Roos is listed by the USA Northeast Province of Jesuits as having admitted to abuse of a minor occurring in the 1980s. (https://www.jesuitseast.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2020/07/ Jesuits_Northeast_List.pdf)
10 Fr. Walsh is listed by the USA Northeast Province of Jesuits as having a credible allegation of abuse of a minor occurring between 1984-1985, during which time he was assigned to Boston College High School in Boston, MA. (https://www.jesuitseast.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2020/07/ Jesuits_Northeast_List.pdf)
11 Fr. Wolf is listed by the USA Northeast Province of Jesuits as having a credible allegation of abuse of a minor occurring between 1979-1981, during which time he was assigned to Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River, MA. (https://www.jesuitseast.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2020/07/ Jesuits_Northeast_List.pdf)

Glossary

Canon law: A set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. Canon law covers such things as the process of religious service, criteria for baptism, funerals, prohibited conduct, church property, and internal boards which have jurisdiction over Church matters.

Core Advisory Group: A group made up of the Vicar General, Moderator of the Curia, Chancellor, Director of Professional Standards and Oversight, and General Counsel, which advises the Bishop about claims against clergy and seminarians.

Credibly accused: The allegation of sexual abuse of a minor has a “semblance of truth” under canon law, using a standard of proof approximating probable cause, as described in the Ministerial Review Board Policy, Section 6.5.

Faculties: Permission granted to clergy that enables them to practice public ministry within a certain diocese.

Incardination: Term used by the Catholic Church to describe the relationship between a cleric and the diocese or religious order to which he is attached and the superior (e.g., bishop, prelate, religious superior) to which he is accountable and who, in turn, is responsible for him. Clerics must be attached to a particular Church or religious institute.

Laicized: A cleric is dismissed from the clerical state by the Pope, either at the petition of the cleric or at the petition of the diocese, and no longer has the rights and responsibilities of ordination, and is now considered part of the laity.

Ministerial Review Board: As described in the Ministerial Review Board Policy, a local board that functions as a confidential consultative body to the Bishop. The Ministerial Review Board advises the Bishop regarding alleged misconduct by clergy, including misconduct relating to the sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult, and the Bishop’s determination of the suitability for ministry of a member of the clergy. See Ministerial Review Board Policy.

Minor/Child: Anyone under the age of 18 or a person who is at least 18 years old and a student who is in high school and has not reached their 19th birthday. For more information, see Diocesan Policy for Protecting the Faithful, Section 2.11.

Ordination: Process of elevating a lay person to clerical status.

Publicly accused: Priests, seminarians, or other religious who were either incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River or who were assigned to public ministry in the Diocese of Fall River, and have been publicly named in media reports, third party lists prepared by advocacy groups and/or other dioceses and religious orders, as having allegations against them involving sexual abuse of a minor. The individuals included are clergy or other religious against whom a publicized accusation was made, but for whom the Diocese lacks sufficient information at this time to make its own determination whether the accusation was credible. In some cases, a religious order or other diocese may have determined that the priest was credibly accused after investigation or upon admission of the priest. For more information, see FAQs below.

Restricted, Suspended, or Removed from Ministry: Not permitted to practice public ministry

Sexual Abuse of a Child: Sexual molestation or sexual exploitation of a child and other behavior by which an adult uses a child as an object of sexual gratification, this includes any act or interaction whether it involves genital or physical contact, with or without consent, even if initiated by the child, which involves sexual contact, molestation or sexual exploitation of a child by an adult, whether physical injuries are sustained or not. For more information, see the Diocesan Policy for Protecting the Faithful, Section 2.4.

Unsubstantiated: The allegation of sexual abuse of a minor does not have a “semblance of truth.” This may mean the allegation was withdrawn or recanted; after an investigation, it was determined the allegation lacked merit; and/or the information was insufficient to assess credibility.

FAQs:

Assembling the List

How did the Diocese review its files in creating the accused list?

The Diocese embarked on a comprehensive review of its records beginning in 2019. This review process involved internal examination by Diocesan officials, and experts engaged by the Diocese, including former law enforcement and outside legal counsel. Recommendations were made to the Bishop, who made the final determination regarding the list. For additional information about the process, see here.

Did outside experts review the Diocese’s files?

Yes. The Gavin Group, Kinsale Management Consulting, Ropes & Gray, LLP, and Ed Davis, former Boston Police Commissioner, and his team at The Edward Davis Company, were involved in the file review process. For additional information, see here.

How did the Diocese determine that an allegation of sexual abuse against a minor was “credible”?

The Diocese applied the definition used in its Ministerial Review Board Policy, section 6.5. Credibility means that the allegation of sexual abuse of a minor has a “semblance of truth” under canon (Church) law, using a standard of proof that approximates probable cause.

What is the difference between the credibly accused and publicly accused lists?

Both the credibly accused and publicly accused lists include priests, seminarians, and other religious who were either incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River or publicly ministered within the Diocese of Fall River. Those on the credibly accused list had allegations made against them which the Diocese was able to determine were credible after its own investigation, because they met the semblance of truth standard previously defined.

All individuals listed in the publicly accused category have been publicly named in media reports, third party lists prepared by advocacy groups and/or other dioceses and religious orders, as having allegations against them involving sexual abuse of a minor. For those in this category, a publicized accusation was made, but – unlike those in the credibly accused category – the Diocese lacks sufficient information at this time to make its own determination whether the accusation was credible. Note that in some cases, a religious order or other diocese may have determined that the priest was credibly accused after investigation or upon admission of the priest. See also the question and answer immediately below.

If a priest’s name is on the publicly accused list, does that mean that he is accused of abusing a child in the Diocese of Fall River?

Not necessarily. For example, a priest may have been publicly accused of abuse in another diocese or may appear on a credibly accused list for a religious order for allegations unrelated to the Diocese of Fall River. If we were able to confirm that the priest also worked in the Diocese of Fall River at some point in his career, we have included the priest on the publicly accused list even if the Diocese did not itself receive an allegation regarding that priest.

What’s the difference between restricted, suspended, and removed, in the status field?

Over the years, the Diocese has used various terminology when preventing a priest from practicing public ministry. For purposes of the priest’s status, there is no discernible difference between “restricted,” “suspended,” or “removed” from public ministry. In all cases, this means that the priest may not practice public ministry.

Why are some priests laicized whereas others are restricted, suspended, and/or removed?

There are many factors the Diocese considers when disciplining a priest for misconduct. The Bishop has the authority to restrict a priest from public ministry. The laicization process can take many years and ultimately goes through the Vatican. The appropriate measure for each individual priest is a fact-intensive inquiry and varies depending on the specific circumstances. In every case, the Diocese is guided by its commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse, and to disciplining any Diocesan personnel who commit abuse.

Why is some assignment history or other information not provided for priests who were incardinated in a diocese other than Fall River or are members of a religious order?

For priests who were incardinated in another diocese or were members of a religious order, the Diocese often lacked complete information about the priest, including assignment history. However, the Diocese has included assignments within the Diocese of Fall River and other information about the priest, based on the records and information from official sources available to the Diocese.

Handling Abuse Allegations Today

What is the Diocese’s process for handling allegations of sexual abuse of minors?

When an allegation is received, the Core Advisory Group will conduct a preliminary investigation. Unless such allegation is manifestly false, the Diocese will conduct further investigation and take appropriate steps, such as placing the cleric on administrative leave; preventing the cleric from having any contact with minors, the alleged victim, and the victim’s family; prohibiting the cleric from ministering publicly; and other actions as the Bishop sees fit. The Diocese also reports allegations it receives regarding sexual abuse of minors to law enforcement, and is committed to cooperating with any investigations by law enforcement and civil authorities, in accordance with Massachusetts law. For additional information, see the Diocesan Policy for Protecting the Faithful.

How do I report an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor by a person affiliated with the Diocese, including clergy, staff, and volunteers?

Anyone may report an incident of abuse to any Diocesan clergy, staff, or volunteer or by contacting the Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator, Carolyn Shipp. Note that the Diocese follows mandatory reporting requirements and cooperates with law enforcement and civil authorities, in accordance with Massachusetts law. Further information is also available at the Office of Safe Environment.

Keeping Our Community Safe

When were the Diocesan policies about child protection and safety last updated?

In July 2020. Please see the Diocesan Policy for Protecting the Faithful.

Does this policy apply to volunteers and staff, as well as clergy?

Yes. Please see Section 2.7 of the Diocesan Policy Protecting the Faithful.

What is the Ministerial Review Board?

Please see the glossary definition of Ministerial Review Board (MRB), provided here, as well as the Ministerial Review Board Policy for more information.

In addition to policies, how does the Diocese prevent sexual abuse of minors?

As part of its safe environment program, the Diocese requires all personnel to submit to a background check, agree to a code of conduct, and complete Safe Environment Training. The training, which is required of clergy, lay employees, and volunteers, provides awareness and knowledge to ensure a safe environment within the Diocese. The Diocesan Policy for Protecting the Faithful has detailed instructions for Diocesan personnel that receive allegations of abuse. In addition, many Diocesan personnel are mandatory reporters. The Diocese has a dedicated Victim Assistance Coordinator, who must be a licensed social worker or a licensed mental health professional. The Victim Assistance Coordinator is the first point of contact when an allegation is received and works closely with the Bishop to ensure that the Diocese is adequately addressing the rights and needs of any victims. Carolyn Shipp, the Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator, can be reached at (508) 985-6508 or at cshipp@dioc-fr.org. The Diocese is also committed to cooperating with law enforcement and civil investigations into abuse, including reporting allegations received to law enforcement.

Procedures After an Allegation

What happens to a priest who is accused of sexually abusing a minor?

The Diocese reports allegations it receives regarding sexual abuse of minors to law enforcement and is committed to cooperating with any investigations by law enforcement and civil authorities in accordance with Massachusetts law. From a Diocesan perspective, the Core Advisory Group first conducts a preliminary investigation into the allegation. If the Core Advisory Group determines that the allegation is not manifestly false, they will advise the Bishop. A more fulsome investigation may then be conducted. While an investigation is pending, the priest will not be allowed to practice public ministry; is prevented from having any contact with minors, the alleged victim and the victim’s family; and is subject to other restrictions as the Bishop sees fit. The results of the investigation will be presented to the Ministerial Review Board for further deliberation on the appropriate course of action. The Ministerial Review Board reviews the allegations, considers evidence, evaluates the validity of allegations, and offers advice and recommendations to the Bishop. The Bishop will then determine the status of the priest.

What happens to a seminarian who is accused of sexually abusing a minor?

The Diocese reports allegations it receives regarding sexual abuse of minors to law enforcement, and is committed to cooperating with any investigations by law enforcement and civil authorities, in accordance with Massachusetts law. From a Diocesan perspective, the Core Advisory Group first conducts a preliminary investigation into the allegation. If the Core Advisory Group determines that the allegation is not manifestly false, they will advise the Bishop. A more fulsome investigation may then be conducted. While an investigation is pending, the Diocesan’s sponsorship of the seminarian as a candidate for the priesthood is suspended. The Bishop will then determine the status of the seminarian.

What happens to a layperson (including employees and volunteers) who is accused of sexually abusing a minor?

When an allegation is made against a lay employee or volunteer, the Director of Professional Standards and Oversight (the “Director”) will be notified. Law enforcement and civil authorities are also notified. When appropriate, the Director will notify the Director of Human Resources, Pastor or other appropriate supervisor of the employee/volunteer (the “Manager”) who will take appropriate steps. Unless the allegation is manifestly false, the layperson will be placed on administrative leave or terminated, according to the judgment of the Manager. The Manager must take other appropriate steps, in accordance with relevant policies and Massachusetts law. See 5.12 and 5.13 in the Diocesan Policy for Protecting the Faithful.

What happens if sexual abuse by a cleric is admitted or established?

In all circumstances, if sexual abuse is admitted or established, the cleric will be permanently dismissed, and applicable diocesan policy and canonical steps would be taken. See, for example, the Diocesan Policy for Protecting the Faithful.

Child Abuse Prevention Month

Every April, child and youth serving organizations, including Catholic Dioceses, parishes, and schools, join the national movement to recognize and highlight Child Abuse Prevention. The Diocese of Fall River takes this opportunity to call attention to the importance of protecting children from abuse and to raise awareness that child abuse is preventable. It is our mission, our sacred mission, to remain vigilant in our efforts to protect children in our care in our parishes, schools, programs, and ministries.

DID YOU KNOW…

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Child abuse can occur in every culture, religion, and socio-economic demographic. The vast majority of child abuse occurs at the hands of someone known to the child victim. Those who seek to do harm to children will pursue opportunities that provide access to children and may appear to be helpful and friendly. Our Diocesan policy of the Essential Three requires that all who minister work, or volunteer in the Diocese complete background screening, training and agree to a code of conduct. This is one of the ways we endeavor to educate our parish and school communities and create a culture of child protection.

DID YOU KNOW…

Research estimates that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before they reach 18. One of the ways our parish creates a safe environment is by teaching the Circle of Grace curriculum to all enrolled in Faith Formation and Youth Ministry programs and to the students in our Catholic Schools. In an age-appropriate manner, Circle of Grace teaches children and youth personal safety skills including recognizing physical, emotional and spiritual boundaries, identifying trusted adults and taking action if boundary violations occur.

DID YOU KNOW…

All members of the clergy, Directors of Religious Education and teachers in our schools are Mandated Reporters in Massachusetts and required by law to report any suspected child abuse. Many children will not tell anyone they are being abused. Because the Diocese believes in our moral obligation to protect children, we extend the safe environment training to all who minister, work or volunteer. Watch for signs of abuse and, if you are concerned about a child, share those concerns with a mandated reporter at your parish or school. Let us all be a voice for children who may not be able to speak for themselves.

DID YOU KNOW…

The Diocese of Fall River stands firm in its commitment to report abuse to law enforcement and cooperate with investigations. If you have been abused by someone representing the Church (priest, deacon, religious, employee or volunteer), we are sorry. We are here to listen and support you. You can report an incident of abuse by contacting local law enforcement directly and by contacting Diocesan Director of Safe Environment and Victim Assistance, Carolyn Shipp at 508-985-6508 (confidential voice mail) or cshipp@dioc-fr.org. She can assist you in making a report and support you through the process.

DID YOU KNOW…

This June marks the 20th anniversary of the Charter for the Protection of Children and People, commonly referred to as the Dallas Charter. The U.S. Bishops created this Charter in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis and revised it in 2005, 2011 and 2018. The Charter created a set of procedures for handling allegations of sexual abuse of a minor, whether historical or current. It calls for all allegations to be reported to local law enforcement, zero tolerance for clergy with credible allegations returning to ministry, establishment of outreach and healing services for survivors. Some of the ways the Diocese of Fall River implements the Charter include:

Mandates the Essential Three requirements (criminal background check, safe environment training, and code of conduct) for all who minister, work or volunteer in the Diocese.
Employs a Victim Assistance Coordinator, who is a licensed social worker, to respond to reports of abuse and accompany survivors through their journey.
Has an independent Ministerial Review Board, comprised of experts with backgrounds including law enforcement, social work, trauma psychology, law, and nursing. As an advisory body to the Bishop, this Board reviews the complete written record for allegations of sexual abuse of a minor by clergy, assesses the credibility of the allegations and provides consultation to the Bishop regarding the cleric’s fitness for ministry.
Participates in a yearly audit to evaluate the Diocese’s implementation of the requirement of the Charter.

The Edward Davis Company Review

Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Minor

Introduction

Compiling the List

Expert Assistance

The Core Advisory Group consisted of:

Criteria and Standard of Proof

Frequently Asked Questions

Categories

Quick Links

Credibly Accused

A. Incardinated in the Diocese of Fall River

B. Other Diocese

C. Religious Order

Cases in Progress

Publicly Accused

Glossary

FAQs:

Assembling the List

Handling Abuse Allegations Today

Keeping Our Community Safe

Procedures After an Allegation

Child Abuse Prevention Month

DID YOU KNOW…