Assignment Record– Rev. Louis Toma, P.S.S.C.
Summary of Case: Toma, a priest of the Scalabrini order ordained in 1908, was pastor of an East Boston parish for nearly 50 years, during which time he is accused of having sexually abused "numerous" girls. Toma died in 1961. In 2005 some of his victims asked that a bust of his image and the inscription of his name on the parish youth center be removed. Their request was granted in October 2006. The director of the archdiocesan Victims' Support Office said there was no doubt the women were "telling a terrible truth."
Ordained: 1908
Died: July 9, 1961
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| Start | Stop | Assignment | Town/Accusations | State | Position | Notes |
1908 Boston archbishop was William Henry O'Connell (1907-1944). |
1912 | Sacred Heart (Italian) | Boston | MA | 2/4, 3/5, 3/4 | |
1912 O'Connell was succeeded by Richard James Cushing (1944-1970). |
1961 | St. Lazarus (Italian) | (East) Boston • In 2005 some women told the archdiocese that Toma had sexually abused them and numerous other girls at this parish. The archdiocesan Victims' Support Office director stated that "There was absolutely no doubt that these women were telling a terrible truth." (Boston Globe |
MA | 1/1, 1/2, 1/3 | Parish had a school with 78-228 boys and 135-244 girls Toma died July 9, 1961. In 2005, victims of Toma complained to the archdiocese that a bust of Toma which stood on the church's grounds, as well as Toma's name inscribed on the parish's youth center, were constant painful reminders of Toma's abuse of them when they were young girls. After much discussion, and listening to the victims tell their stories, the parish council agreed to remove the bust and to rename the parish youth center. (The Pilot |
Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1909-1962 )
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.
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This assignment record collates Toma's career history as it is represented
in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the
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This assignment record was last updated on November 4, 2015.