Watertown Priest Faces Abuse Allegation, Associated Press, Watertown Tab Press, August 31, 2009

Watertown Priest Faces Abuse Allegation

Associated Press carried in Watertown Tab & Press
August 31, 2009

http://www.wickedlocal.com/watertown/news/x1373214712/Watertown-priest-faces-abuse-allegation

Father Fred Barr at St. Patrick's Church in Watertown, May, 2008.

BOSTON — A Roman Catholic priest serving at a Watertown parish has been placed on administrative leave while the Boston Archdiocese investigates allegation of child sexual assault.

The archdiocese said in a statement that the alleged abuse took place two decades ago but came to light recently.

The Rev. Frederick Barr most recently has served at St. Patrick Church in Watertown.

He worked at St. Luke Church in Belmont from 1985 to 1990, when the assault allegedly took place. The archdiocese did not disclose specific details about the allegations, nor the age and sex of the alleged victim.

A diocesan spokeswoman says civil law enforcement agencies have been notified.

Barr could not be reached for comment.

Barr, a Beverly native, came to Watertown in 2008 after serving as interim priest at St. John the Evangelist School in Canton. Barr was ordained as a deacon in 1975 after attending St. John’s School of Theology-Seminary.

When asked about sexual abuse scandals in the church in a 2008 interview, Barr said the church was moving forward.

“It has turned a corner. It’s about hope. It’s a sense of the future. We are moving on,” he said.