Database of Publicly Accused

Documents revealed in 2002 that in 1993 Atwater was accused of abuse of a 14-year-old boy, who was a Cardinal Cushing Academy boarding student in 1971 when Atwater was the school's Director. Atwater denied the allegations. He retired in 2002. Sent to treatment where it was determined that he "had no sexual conflicts." In 2/2002 another man alleged he was abused by Atwater at the same school some time after 1967. In 9/2004 a man said he was abused by Atwater at age 12 in approximately 1969. Atwater died in 2006. Canonical investigation not complete at the time of his death. Included on the archdiocese's list in 8/2011.

Subject of a settlement in the mid-to-high five figures in 6/2023. Accused of sexually abusing a boy, about ages 14-16 in 1963-1965. Barletta was assigned to St. Patrick's in Watertown during the time in question. The abuse allegedly occurred in Barletta's car. He is said to have fondled the boy after plying him with alcohol. Absent on leave 1969-1970. Not listed in the Official Catholic Directory after 1971.

Placed on leave in 8/2009 from St. Patrick's in Watertown after recent allegation that he sexually abused a minor in the late 1980s. Barr was parochial vicar at St. Luke's in Belmont 1985-1990, when the abuse was alleged to have occurred. Still on administrative leave as of 8/2015 and canonical proceedings in process, per Boston archdiocese's list. The list in 1/2020 shows the allegations to have been found unsubstantiated. Ministry restricted.

Accused of abuse by a man, who also alleged abuse as a minor by other priests and two bishops in the Springfield and Worcester dioceses. Complainant reportedly passed two polygraph tests. Worcester diocese investigated "several years ago" and deemed claims not credible. The Springfield diocese stated that nothing in its files corroborates the allegations. Plaintiff was in a Texas prison for an unrelated murder. Berthiaume was one-time personal secretary for Bishop Weldon, also accused. Died 12/3/1985.

Joined the order in 1955, made final vows in 1962. Taught at Marist schools in the Bronx, Poughkeepsie, and Lincolnville NY, Lawrence MA, Eugene OR, and Chicago IL. Accused in a 2023 lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy, age 16, in 1980. Brennan's alleged victim was a student and athlete at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence MA; Brennan was a teacher and the head athletic trainer. Brennan died 10/19/2020 at age 84 in the Bronx, NY.

Executive Director for Mission and Apostolate for the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, St. Ignatius Province. On 9/19/2023 the Oblates of the Virgin Mary announced that Brown had been placed on leave due to an allegation that he sexually abused a minor three decades prior. No information as to where the alleged abuse occurred. (Placing Brown in the Boston archdiocese for now, where the Province is based.) Brown denied the allegation. Assigned 1995-1997 to two parishes in Alton, IL and thereafter in Boston.

Included on Attorney Garabedian's list 3/28/2016 of accused clerics named in civil claims resulting in settlements or arbitration awards. Allegedly abused a child in Cambridge MA. Not included on the archdiocese's list of accused as of 3/28/2016. Added by 10/11/2018. Assigned to parishes in Foxboro, Cambridge, Sharon Rockland. Pastor or Administrator for parishes in Cambridge, Lexington, Brookline, Norwood, Stow and Melrose. Served as a hospital and high school chaplain. Held a number of leadership positions in the archdiocese. Died 9/30/2012.

Retired in 2006. Suspended in 1/2020 due to an allegation of abuse of a boy, age 16, in  1971. His accuser said he met Byington through a weekend retreat for Christian teenagers and that the abuse occurred after the priest offered him a ride home. Byington allegedly took the boy to a convent and upstairs to his room, despite nuns trying to prevent the priest from taking the boy there by blocking the stairs. The abuse is said to have included sodomy. Byington denied the allegation. Included on the diocese's list of accused 1/7/2021, under "cases in process." Settlement in 5/2022 in the mid-to-high five figures. Reportedly in 11/2021 a second alleged victim had recently come forward. On 12/13/2021 the diocese announced that the allegations against Byington were deemed credible and that he would not be returned to ministry. Accused in a case settled in 2023 of sexually abusing a boy, age 12, in 1976. Byington died 12/6/2023. 

Named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese on its list in 10/2023. Allegedly sexually abused a minor 1981-1982. Assigned to St. Rose de Lima Parish in Chicopee during the time in question. Carrier died 2/17/2011.

 Allegations surfaced in 1974; kept in active ministry. Exonerated after church investigation. After a review of case files in 2003, Archbishop O'Malley decided the case warranted further review and placed Chaisson on leave, pending a new investigation. Per the 10/2015 Boston archdiocese list, the Review Board either found the allegations unsubstantiated or Chaisson was acquitted by a canonical process. Retired, privileges still restricted. His status is the same on the list in 8/22, although he died 12/27/2019. 

Accused in a lawsuit filed in 1/2003 of repeatedly molesting a 15-year-old boy in about 1971. Allowed to continue working by Bishop Lennon but placed on indefinite leave by Archbishop O'Malley, as announced 8/23/2003. Reportedly sued by two additional men alleging Charest molested and raped them as boys. Charest was living in Boston's Back Bay area near an elementary school as of 5/2008. Included on the archdiocese's list 8/25/2011. "Dismissed" in 2015. 

A 1973 memo to Cardinal Medeiros complained that Creighton had been transferred 17 times in 22 years and that the priest was sick. In 1977 a woman told the archdiocese that she had seen two girls imitating oral sex and that they said they were imitating Creighton and their mother. Creighton retired in 1985. He was placed on leave in 1997. A woman filed suit in 1998 claiming abuse by Creighton as a 17-year-old; dismissed in 5/2003 due to the statute of limitations. Creighton died 12/29/2004. His name was included in 8/2011 on the Boston archdiocese's list. 

Accused in a lawsuit settled in 6/21 in the high five figures of sexually abusing a boy, ages 8-13, over 100 times at St. William's in Tewskbury during 1973-1978. Prior to Boston, Emerson was a deacon in St. Louis, MO and Omaha, NE, where he worked at Boys Town U.S.A. In 2012 he admitted to smuggling drugs into the Middlesex County House of Correction in Billerica, where he was chaplain; he was sentenced to community service and ordered to stay away from jails. Emerson died in 2018.

Desilets was disciplined by the Diocesan Misconduct Commission and barred from public ministry in the early 1990s after he allegedly molested two boys at Precious Blood Church in Holyoke. He was allowed to retire and join the Sulpician Fathers in Montreal to help prepare young men for the priesthood. He died 4/28/2001. One claim was settled in 2004 and another in 2008 as part of larger settlements. Included on the Diocese's list of credibly accused in 3/2016.

Accused in a 2004 lawsuit of sex abuse in the early 1950s of a 12-year-old boy at Camp Wyoma in Hinsdale MA, in the Springfield diocese, while a Stigmatine seminarian in the Boston area. Left the Stigmatines in 1969, moved to Ajijic, Jalisco, México. Involved in local parish in the Diocese of San Juan de los Lagos, and started Niños de Chapala for needy children and adults. He died on 7/19/2008.

Accused in a lawsuit settled in 6/2023 in the high five figures of sexually abusing a boy, age 10, in 1949. The abuse allegedly occurred in Coffey's jeep in Lynn MA. Coffey was assigned at the time in question to Sacred Heart in Lynn, where the boy was a parishioner.

Named publicly as credibly accused by the Jesuits Northeast Province on its list 1/15/2019, which notes a report in 2012 of abuse of a minor 1956-1957. Fox was assigned during that time to Bobola House in Boston. Fox died in 1988.

Named publicly by Attorney Mitchell Garabedian 5/7/19 as one of eight priests whose survivors had been compensated in arbitration with the Archdiocese of Boston. As of 1/10/2025, Barry had not yet been included on the Boston archdiocese's list of accused clergy, apparently because Barry was deceased at the time his survivor came forward, according to a "protocol" reflected in Cardinal Seán O'Malley's 8/25/11 announcement of the original list. Barry died 9/4/2010. However, several aspects of Barry's assignment history suggest that the archdiocese knew of his abuse of children by the mid-1960s or early 1970s.

Barry was educated at Boston College and St. John's Seminary in Brighton MA. First assignment was as assistant at St. Augustine parish 1950-1966 (parochial school and girls' high school) in South Boston. According to his obituary, "He mentored many young people from the parish including Boston's one time mayor, Raymond Flynn." Chaplain at Deer Island House of Correction 1966-1971 while in residence at Holy Rosary parish 1966-1969 (no school) in Winthrop; not listed in residence at Holy Rosary or elsewhere for the last two years of the Deer Island assignment. Assistant at St. Cecilia parish in Ashland 1971-1975 (no school) and episcopal vicar of the Brockton vicariate in the South Region. Pastor of St. Linus parish in Natick 1975-1981 (no school) and episcopal vicar of Natick vicariate. Then pastor of St. Bernard parish (no school) in Newton 1981-2001.

According to the Official Catholic Directory, at the time of Barry's ordination, his uncle, Msgr. Robert P. Barry, was an archdiocesan consultor. With a relation in high places, Barry was selected two years after ordination by Cardinal Cushing to be the CYO district director for South Boston, Roxbury, and the South End. Obituaries in newspapers between 1999 and 2009 show that many deceased specified "Larry's Children's Fund, c/o Rev. Gerard D. Barry" for donations in lieu of flowers. Barry retired from St. Bernard's in Newton 6/1/2001 and moved sometime thereafter to Regina Cleri, a home for retired priests.

"Jack." Named publicly as credibly accused by the Columbans U.S. Province on its list in 2/22. Noted to have a single allegation against him, of abuse 1973-75. Per the Official Catholic Directory, Roche was assigned during the time in question to St. Patrick's in Stoneham, MA. He died in 2015.

Accused in a claim settled in 11/2022 in the mid-five figures of sexually abusing a girl, age 12, in 1961. Gibbons was assigned to St. James in Medford at the time in question and the girl was a student at the parish school. Gibbons allegedly fondled the girl's breasts over her clothes.

In 2002 a woman reported to the Diocese that, beginning on the day of her First Communion in the late 1960s when she was about age 8, and repeatedly until she was 12, Gill sexually abused her. Gill was the "family priest," assigned to St. Charles in Pittsfield. She alleged that the abuse involved groping and fondling and would take place at family gatherings such as picnics, trips to the beach and sleepovers. She received a settlement from the Diocese in 2008. The Diocese told her that another woman had come forward in 1992 claiming that she was abused by Gill at age 15. Gill died in 1995. Reportedly in 8/2021, a parishioner confronted Gill in 1977 after a 14-year-old girl told him that Gill was molesting her in his rectory bedroom at St. Charles. The parishioner informed the senior priest at the parish. Gill was soon transferred to a parish in Brimfield. In 8/2021 the Diocese stated that it had received three complaints of child sexual abuse by Gill. Name added to the Diocese's list in 8/2022. It notes one credible allegation, of abuse 1967-1971.