FALL RIVER (MA)
Cape Cod Times [Hyannis MA]
May 30, 2024
By Zane Razzaq
The trial for the former Cape Cod priest charged with rape is scheduled for June 6 in Barnstable Superior Court, according to the clerk’s office.
Mark Hession faces two counts of rape and one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, according to the clerk’s office. A count of intimidating a witness was dropped.
Hession pleaded not guilty to the charges in January of 2021. A final trial conference was scheduled to take place on Friday.
He will be represented by attorneys Frank C. Corso and Paolo G. Corso of Corso Law LLC. A phone call and email sent to the law firm seeking comment were not immediately returned.
A spokesperson for the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s office declined comment, saying the office does not comment on pending matters.
Hession is on a 2021 list compiled by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River of publicly accused religious leaders connected to the diocese. The “publicly accused” list means that the religious leaders have been publicly named in media reports, third party lists prepared by advocacy groups and/or other dioceses and religious orders as having allegations against them involving sexual abuse of a minor. For a name to appear on the “publicly accused” list, the Diocese of Fall River lacks sufficient information to make its own determination whether the accusation was credible, according to the diocese.
What is the background of charges against Hession?
Hession served at 12 different institutions in the Cape Cod and Fall River areas, including as parish priest from 2000 to 2014 at Our Lady of Victory church in Centerville.
Hession is alleged to have assaulted an individual with the “intent to commit rape and did commit rape upon such person” on multiple occasions between 2005 and 2008 in Barnstable County, according to the redacted indictments obtained by the Cape Cod Times.
Where did Mark Hession serve as priest?
Hession was ordained in 1984. In 2009, he delivered the homily at the funeral for U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy in Boston.
On the Cape, besides Our Lady of Victory, Hession served at Our Lady of the Assumption in Osterville; St. Joan of Arc church in Orleans; and St. Patrick church in Falmouth, according to the Diocese of Fall River.
Off-Cape, he served at St. Patrick Parish in Wareham; Holy Name Church and Holy Rosary Chapel, both in Fall River; St. Mary’s Parish in New Bedford; Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River; St. Joseph Church in Taunton; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Seekonk; and Holy Family parish in East Taunton.
Hession placed on leave in 2019
He has been suspended from “active priestly ministry” by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River since 2019. That move came after parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Seekonk complained that he had sent inappropriate communications, according to previous reporting by the Times.
The diocese said then in a statement that Hession was placed on leave “because of conduct inconsistent with standards of ministerial behavior and in direct violation of the Code of Conduct for priests.”
Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on X @zanerazz.
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