By Brian Scheid
Norwich (CT) Bulletin
April 28, 2002

Norwich, CT - For nearly two decades - years the Archdiocese of Boston had been silently transferring dozens of priests accused of sexual abuse from parish to parish - the Most. Rev. Daniel A. Hart was working quietly just south of Boston as an auxiliary bishop.

This year, many of the men he worked with have been implicated in the growing scandal that gave rise to last week's extraordinary meeting of American cardinals in Rome.

Cardinal Archbishop Humberto Medeiros, since deceased, began to transfer convicted pedophile, the Rev. John Geoghan, from parish to parish. His successor as Boston archbishop, Cardinal Bernard Law, continued the practice and was in Rome this week, facing calls for his resignation. Both men were Hart's bosses.

Some of Hart's fellow auxiliary bishops - the densely populated archdiocese usually has five - also have been implicated. The Most Rev. John B. McCormack signed and created documents that allowed accused priests to continue to serve. The Most Rev. Robert J. Banks is facing scrutiny for transferring one alleged pedophile priest, the Rev. Paul R. Shanley, who publicly advocated sex with minors and bestiality, out of the state without warning his new diocese of past problems. The Most Rev. Alfred C. Hughes has apologized for not paying enough attention to serious complaints against Geoghan and allowing him to serve as a priest.

Hart not involved

Hart, who served Medieros and Law as overseer of the archdiocese's southern region - from Brockton to Plymouth - does not want to talk about his time in Boston. But a review of more than 800 pages of documents and interviews that have led to criticism of both cardinals' other lieutenants shows no trace of Hart's involvement.

Indeed, during 19 years as a bishop in Boston, Hart appears to have served as a quiet functionary. A search of newspaper stories in the Boston Globe during that period returns only a few clips, about Hart's appearance at Catholic school openings, church ribbon-cutting ceremonies, homilies at priests' funeral Masses and his appointment as chairman of the board of Cardinal Cushing General Hospital in Brockton. The longest article he inspired was when he was named bishop of Norwich in September 1995.

Those who know Hart say they are not surprised he, unlike his fellow auxiliary bishops, has escaped scrutiny in the mushrooming archdiocesan scandal. Fellow clerics routinely call him "humble" and "low-key."

"He is just not a flashy personality," said one priest, who asked not to be identified. "He is a good and holy man who has an active prayer life and who reacts slowly, when he reacts at all."

Cardinal Law mentioned Hart's low-key nature during Hart's installation as diocesan bishop in 1995.

"With Bishop Hart, what you see is what you get," Law told the cathedral crowd. "He has a deep and abiding respect for every human being and has proven himself to be particularly solicitous of priests and religious women and men."

This is a marked change from his predecessor, the Most Rev. Daniel Patrick Reilly, who now serves as bishop of Worcester, Mass. Nicknamed by the press "Broadway Dan," Reilly was an animated public speaker and was skilled in public relations.

Written response

Unlike Reilly, Hart has never spoken publicly on the crisis unraveling in Catholic churches across the country. He instead has chosen to release two written statements.

In March, Hart issued a pastoral letter distributed to the diocese's 84 churches and wrote that he felt "sadness, shame, anger, revulsion and discouragement" over the publicity surrounding clergy who had committed sexual abuse.

Many priests interviewed Thursday said Hart's refusal to comment directly on aspects of the clergy abuse scandal like the Vatican meeting were simply part of the low-key style that has characterized him throughout his career.

"I think he's already spoken out," the Rev. Frank Rouleau of St. Joseph Church in New London said. "It gets to the point where you're just repeating what you've already said."

Charge of inaction

But, Hart hasn't dodged controversy completely.

After their second meeting with the bishop earlier this month, two Windham County brothers called for the bishop's resignation. The men, John and Gene Deary, claim their brother was molested by a former parish priest in Putnam in the 1960s and killed himself decades after the abuse occurred. The Dearys said Hart's refusal to turn the priest, the Rev. Bernard W. Bissonnette, over to legal authorities shows the bishop's inability to remedy the situation threatening the Catholic Church.

"He refuses to do anything," Gene Deary said. "He refuses to be part of the solution."

But, many parish priests throughout Windham and New London counties stand behind Hart.

"Bishop Hart hasn't done anything that would call for his resignation," said the Rev. John J. O'Neill of St. James Church in Danielson. "Are you responsible for something that happened 30 years ago?"

O'Neill, who was stationed at a seminary in Ipswich, Mass., while Hart was an auxiliary bishop in Boston, said he always has been assured by Hart's leadership in the church.

"He's very pastoral ... that's what you need today," O'Neill said. "Every day he goes to one of the churches and schools."

Many priests said Hart has done everything he can to prevent sexual abuse in the diocese, including continuing the zero-tolerance policy the diocese set up in 1991.

"Seven years ago, he put everything into action that everyone talks about now," the Rev. Roger J. Lamoureux of St. Mary Church in Willimantic said. "He's done it from the very beginning."

Hart is required by church law to retire this August when he turns 75.