BishopAccountability.org
	Priest's Suit Claims He Found Porn at Somersworth Church By Aaron Sanborn Foster's Daily Democrat September 23, 2008 http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080923/GJNEWS_01/709231618/-1/FOSNEWS DOVER — A lawsuit filed by a former Catholic priest claiming he found pornographic material in a Somersworth church remains pending at Hillsborough County Superior Court North. The Rev. Thomas Cooper of Dover filed the suit against the Diocese of Manchester in 2007. In the suit, Cooper alleges the diocese ignored complaints by him about the pornographic material. In addition, the suit claims Cooper had information regarding Bishop John McCormack and Father Paul Shanley of Boston and that as soon as he began conducting his own investigation regarding the information, the diocese made false accusations toward him, leading to his eventual arrest and commitment to the New Hampshire State Hospital. Shanley is a former priest involved in the Boston clergy sex-abuse scandal and was found guilty of statutory rape. Overall, Cooper alleges 11 counts against the diocese, including defamation, invasion of privacy, emotional distress, wrongful discharge, false imprisonment, fraud and breach of contract. Cooper's accusations began in October 2002, when he claims he discovered "large quantities of pornographic materials" in the church rectory and garage of a Somersworth church. Cooper was the pastor of the church at the time, according to the suit. Among the items were guidebooks containing locations of homosexual meeting places nationwide and sexual attire consisting of leather and chains. Cooper was told by the diocese to place the items in a sealed container and deliver them to the Chancery in Manchester, according to the suit. However, Cooper claims he continued to find the material at the church and continued to inform the diocese about these discoveries. Cooper also claims he informed the diocese of reported incidents of sexual harassment of female staff at the Saint Ann Nursing Home in Dover, but claims the diocese never responded to those claims. In 2004, Cooper said he learned of "personal and highly sensitive information" relating to McCormack and Shanley and began to conduct his own independent investigation and alerted priests close to the diocese about the situation, according to the suit. This is when Cooper claims the diocese accused him of stealing bingo funds, engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct of his own and threatening to commit suicide. Shortly after those accusations were made, Cooper says a Somersworth police officer arrested him because of statements he made to the diocese, according to the suit. Following the arrest, Cooper was later transferred to the state hospital in Concord, where he was held "against his will" for seven days until a judge found he wasn't properly detained and ordered released. The diocese later forced his resignation from the Somersworth church and fired him from a position at the Youth Development Center, Cooper claims in the suit. According to published reports, the diocese claims Cooper misappropriated funds from two parishes in Somersworth and Rollinsford and threatened to commit suicide when confronted. The diocese also claims Cooper was granted a leave of absence for health reasons and resigned following an independent audit. Published reports also indicate half of Cooper's 11 counts were dismissed. Officials at Hillsborough County Superior Court would only say that the suit is still active and in the process of being scheduled for further hearings. Brian Quirk, the attorney for the diocese, didn't return a call for comment on Monday. The suit lists Cooper as living in Dover, but attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.