MANCHESTER (NH)
The Union Leader
By KATHRYN MARCHOCKI
Union Leader Staff
MANCHESTER — Ronald E. Corriveau, accused of molesting a teenage boy in Manchester in 1982 and possessing Internet pornography three years ago, is the first Roman Catholic diocesan priest in New Hampshire to be defrocked since the clergy sexual abuse scandal became public in early 2002, the diocese announced yesterday.
The late Pope John Paul II made the decision to laicize Corriveau, 60, on March 21, less than two weeks before the Pontiff's death.
"By virtue of this decree, Ronald Corriveau is no longer bound to the obligations of the sacred priesthood, has no faculties to act as a priest and has been returned to the lay state," the diocese said in a two-sentence statement released late yesterday afternoon.
Corriveau was pastor of an Epping parish when the diocese learned of the abuse allegation against him on March 11, 2002. He has been on administrative leave since and now lives in Nashua.
Corriveau is one of 27 living priests credibly accused of sexually abusing minors whose cases were sent to the Vatican for possible punitive action since November 2002, church officials have said.
Posted by kshaw at June 10, 2005 02:14 AM