Assignment Record – Rev. Ross S. Frey, b.s.
Summary of Case: Frey was a Melkite-Greek Catholic priest, accused in the 1990s of having sexually abused at least eleven teen boys during weekend retreats in Methuen, MA. He targeted boys who were going through crises, such as the death of a close family member. Frey was sent to Lebanon after a police officer warned the order of impending "bad publicity", and later placed on leave. In 2012 another man accused Frey of sexually abusing him as a teen, between 1986-1991, in Lawrence, MA. Ross died in June 2014.
Ordained: 1974
Died: June 20, 2014
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| Start | Stop | Assignment | Town/Accusations | State/Country | Position | Notes |
1974 Eparchy of Newton bishop was Joseph Elias Tawil (1969-1989), followed by Ignatius Ghattas, B.S. (1989-1992) |
1990 | St. Basil's Salvatorian Center | Methuen • Accused in the 1990s of sexually abusing at least 11 adolescent boys in the 1970s and 1980s during weekend retreats at the Salvatorian Center. His accusers said Ross would abuse them during times of stress. The mother of one boy is said to have asked Frey to break the news of the boy's stepbrother's accidental death in 1973. The boy was on retreat with Frey the day his stepbrother died. It was after he told the boy of the death that Frey is said to have sexually abused him. |
MA | Assistant to the Rector and Director of Encounters and Retreats 1975-1982; Director of Youth Activities 1982-1983; Supr. 1983-1986; Vocations Director 1985-1986 | One of Frey's accusers said he told another priest at St. Basil's, Fr. Martin Hyatt, that Frey sexualy abused him; Hyatt's response was said to have been, "That will teach you not to take your pants down for anybody." |
1990 John Adel Elya, B.S. replaced Ghattas (1993-2004) |
1995 | St. Joseph Plains Community Center | Lawrence • Frey was accused in 2012 of sexually abusing a teenage boy at St. Joseph's between 1986-1991. |
MA | ||
| 1990 | 1995 | St. Joseph's | Lawrence
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MA | 1/1 | |
| 1995 | 1996 | Basilian Salvatorian Order | Methuen | MA | Local Supr. | |
| 1996 | 2014 | On Duty Outside the Eparchy | Not indexed beyond the 1997 Directory. Per news reports, Frey was transferred to Lebanon in January 1996 after a police officer warned church officials that there was going to be some "bad publicity". Frey was later placed on leave. | |||
| 1997 | 2014 | Lebanon | Frey died June 20, 2014, per his order's website.  |
Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1975-1997)
• Sixth Man Claims Molestation As Teen by Methuen Priest, By David Weber, Boston Herald, July 4, 1996
• More Accuse Priest of Sex Abuse in Methuen, By Paul Langner, Boston Globe, July 6, 1996
• Sordid Tales Emerge As More Priest Files Opened, By Robin Washington, Franci Richardson, Marie Szaniszlo and Jules Crittenden, Boston Herald, December 12, 2002
• Cardinal Law Settled Unsubstantiated Lawsuit for $200,000, Union Leader, December 12, 2002
• Documents Detail Law's Steps on Pastor, Transferred Priest, By Michael Rezendes and Matt Carroll, Boston Globe, December 12, 2002
• Cardinal Apologizes for Clergy Sex Abuse, By Russ Olivo, Woonsocket Call, June 3, 2006
• Many Alleged Abusers Left Off Church List, Boston Globe, Nov. 20, 2011
• Man Tells of Alleged Abuse by Priest, By Yadira Betances, The Eagle-Tribune, October 24, 2012
• obslb.com, Aug. 2014
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that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually
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This assignment record was last updated on Sept. 1, 2014.