UNITED STATES
BishopAccountability.org
Sixteen Priests and Brothers Added to Attorney Mitchell Garabedian’s List of Accused Clerics, March 2016
Assignment Records Researched by BishopAccountability.org
On March 28, 2016, Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian added 16 priests and religious brothers to his website’s list of accused clerics named in civil claims resulting in settlements or arbitration awards. Below we provide assignment histories and other information for some of these clerics. Six of the 16—Rev. Joseph J. Brennan, Rev. Richard J. Butler, Bro. Damien (Patrick) Chong, O.Carm., Rev. James L. MacGuinness, Rev. Philip A. Mathews, and Bro. Timothy O’Sullivan, C.F.C.—have not been publicly accused until now.
Ten of the accused clerics added to Garabedian’s list today worked during all or part of their priesthood in the Boston archdiocese. However, as indicated below, six of the ten are not included in Cardinal O’Malley’s published list of accused priests.
This page supplements our previous collection of assignment records for the 19 new clerics named by Garabedian when he posted his original list of 117 accused clerics on January 19, 2011 and the 12 new clerics he named on April 11, 2012. He added five newly accused clerics, a nun, and a lay choir director to his list in September 2013. On October 31, 2014 Garabedian added 13 names. A complete list of all the clerics named by Garabedian clients is provided on the law firm’s website.
Click on the linked names in red below to view assignment histories.
1. Rev. Ronald J. Atwood (Diocese of Columbus). Recent settlement involved his alleged abuse of a minor at Bishop Ready High School, Columbus OH, 1975-1970.
2. Rev. James E. Braley (Archdiocese of Boston). Included in Cardinal O’Malley’s published list. Braley’s status on the list from 2012 to early 2016 was “Administrative Leave; Case in Process” (see 1/2013 version of O’Malley’s list). Braley’s status changed in March 2016 to “Found unsubstantiated; Restricted; Senior Priest.”
3. Rev. Joseph J. Brennan (Diocese of Camden). Recent settlement involved his alleged abuse of child at a Brooklawn NJ parish 1957-59. Died 1976. Not previously identified as accused.
4. Rev. Andrew P. Brizzolara, C.S. (Missionaries of St. Charles/Scalabrinians). Worked in the archdioceses of Boston, New York, Hartford, and Washington DC. Has faced two allegations of abusing children in the Boston archdiocese, in 2004 and in the recent settlement, but is omitted from Cardinal O’Malley’s list of accused clergy.
5. Rev. Richard J. Butler (Archdiocese of Boston). Allegedly abused child in Cambridge MA but is not included in Cardinal O’Malley’s list of accused priests as of 3/28/2016. Died 2012. Not previously identified as accused.
6. Rev. Joseph F. Byrne (Archdiocese of Boston). Worked also in the diocese of Fall River MA. Named by at least two alleged victims. Included in Cardinal O’Malley’s list as of 3/28/2016 in two categories: Category E, Cases Involving Deceased Clergy for Whom Criminal or Canonical Proceedings Were Not Completed But The Existence of Allegations Has Been Publicized, and List of Unsubstantiated Cases. Died 2014.
7. Bro. Damien (Patrick) Chong, O.Carm. (Carmelite).Worked in the dioceses/archdioceses of Cleveland, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston. Recent settlement involved alleged abuse of a child at a Carmelite high school in Encino CA (Los Angeles archdiocese). Died 2014. Not previously identified as accused.
8. Rev. John P. “Jack” Connor (Diocese of Camden). Worked also in the diocese of Pittsburgh and archdiocese of Philadelphia. Recent settlement involved alleged abuse of a child in the Pittsburgh diocese.
9. Rev. Richard T. Coughlin (Archdiocese of Boston, Archdiocese of Los Angeles). Worked also in the diocese of Orange in CA. Permanently restricted. Included in Cardinal O’Malley’s list under Category A, Cases That Have Been Concluded Canonically, Either By Dismissal or Sentence to Life of Prayer and Penance, or Criminally, Either By Plea or Conviction.
10. Rev. Robert G. Gibney (Archdiocese of Newark). Recent settlement involved his alleged abuse of a child 1961-63 at a Vailsburg NJ parish. Died 2012.
11. Rev. Randal Gillette, C.P. (James R.) (Passionist). Worked in the dioceses/archdioceses of Newark, Boston, Mexico City, Pittsburgh, and New York. Allegedly abused children in the Boston archdiocese (1, 2) but was omitted from Cardinal O’Malley’s list of accused priests.
12. Rev. James L. MacGuinness (Archdiocese of Boston). Allegedly abused a child in Roxbury MA but is not included in Cardinal O’Malley’s list of accused priests as of 3/28/2016. Died 1955. Not previously identified as accused.
13. Rev. Philip A. Mathews (Diocese of Camden). Recent settlement involved his alleged abuse of a child in 1966 at a Berlin NJ parish. Not previously identified as accused.
14. Bro. Timothy O’Sullivan, C.F.C. (Congregation of Christian Brothers). Allegedly abused a minor at Bergen Catholic in the Newark NJ archdiocese. Not previously identified as accused.
15. Rev. Joseph J. Rocha, O.P. (Dominican). Worked in the dioceses/archdioceses of Washington DC, Boston, Nashville, and Providence. Recent settlement involved alleged abuse of minor at St. Stephen’s Priory, Dover MA, which is within the Boston archdiocese. Not included in Cardinal O’Malley’s list of accused clerics.
16. Rev. Martin J. Walsh (Archdiocese of Boston). Walsh has been accused of child sex abuse by at least two people: a victim who died in 1997, and the victim involved in the recent settlement. Yet as of 3/28/2016, Walsh is included in Cardinal O’Malley’s List of Unsubstantiated Cases. Died 2007.
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