Assignment Record– Rev. Raymond Cossette

Summary of Case: Raymond Cossette was ordained a priest of the Duluth diocese in 1955. He ministered in parishes and was involved in high schools as an instructor, athletic director, chaplain and principal. He was also Diocesan Superintendent of Schools for a time in the 1960s, and served on the Diocesan Tribunal. For twenty years he was chaplain at Brainerd State School and Hospital. His assignments took him from Hibbing to Duluth, Biwabik, Brainerd and Hillman. He retired in 1995 and is last known to have been living in Brainerd. Cossette's name was included on a list released by the diocese in December 2013 of clergy who had been credibly accused of sexual abuse of young persons while serving in diocese. His status at the time was "re-investigation initiated."

Born: December 24, 1929
Ordained: 1955
Retired: 1995

8/10/55

Duluth bishop was Thomas Anthony Welch (1925-1959), followed by Francis Joseph Schenk (1960-1969).

3/3, 2/3

1955-59: Rt. Rev. Msgr. Patrick Byrnes VF; Revs. Richard P. Partika,
Raymond J. Cossette

1959-62: Byrnes, Cossette, Francis N. Stretton

5/5, 3/4, 3/5

1962-63: Revs. James A. Hayden, Patrick M. Dowell, Roman B. Spors, William F. Lutar. In res., Raymond Cossette

1963-64: Revs. Hayden, Dowell, Spors, Alfred D. Kaster. In res., Raymond Cossette

1964-65: Revs. Hayden, Dowell. In res., Raymond Cossette, Patrick D. McManus

1965-66: Hayden, Patrick J. Coyle, Paul R. Vecchi. In res., Raymond Cossette, Patrick J. Moran

9/09/69

Schenk was succeeded by Paul Francis Anderson (1969-1982).

7/29/75

Robert Henry Brom replaced Anderson as Duluth bishop (1983-1989), followed by Roger Lawrence Schwietz, O.M.I. (1989-2000).

1/01/95

Dennis Marion Schnurr succeeded Schwietz (2001-2008). He was replaced by Paul David Sirba (2009-).

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1956-1995)

• Clergy with Credible Claims against Them Concerning Sexual Abuse of a Young Person, Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth, December 31, 2013
• Bishop Sirba Releases Names of Credibly Accused Priests, Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth, December 31, 2013
• Diocese of Duluth Releases Names of Accused Priests, By Tom Olsen, Duluth News Tribune, December 31, 2013
• The Diocese of Duluth Release Their List of 17 Priests Accused of Sexually Abusing Minors, By Mike Bryant, Legal Examiner, December 31, 2013
• Bishop Sirba Releases Names of 17 Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse in Duluth Diocese, Northlands News Center, December 31, 2013
• Duluth Diocese Releases List of Accused Priests, By Tom Olsen, Duluth News Tribune, January 1, 2014

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Cossette's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on October 21, 2016.