Accused Priest List Released by Archdioceses of Burlington (Vermont)

Posted on: November 4, 2019 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

November 4, 2019/ Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

In August of 2019, Bishop Christopher Coyne, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington, released a list of 40 priests accused of child sexual abuse. The abuse allegations were deemed credible by a committee appointed by Bishop Coyne, which consisted of seven lay members, four men and three women. One member was a non-catholic and one, John Mahoney, a sixty-five-year-old man from Burlington, Vermont, was a priest abuse survivor himself who settled with the church many years prior. It took the committee nine months to read through more than 50 personnel files belonging to the 40 priests. The committee used the guidelines set forward by the Catholic Archdiocese of Syracuse, New York to help them navigate through all of the documents and information.

Bishop Coyne confirmed that accusations of priest molestation within the Archdioceses of Burlington stems back as early as the 1950s. A total of 419 priests were part of the Archdioceses during the time frame reviewed which puts the percentage of pedophile priests in the Burlington Vermont Archdioceses at a staggering 9.5%. The priests noted in the Archdioceses of Burlington accused list have all been identified. Twenty-seven of those are now either deceased or presumed dead. All of the priests named in this report are no longer practicing in their ministry.

A condensed list provided by the Burlington Free Press is below and the full article can be viewed here.

1. Robert J. Baffa — Served in Vermont 1966-2002; deceased
2. Donald A. Bean — Served in Vermont 1970-1994; deceased
3. James E. Beauregard — Served in Vermont 1970-1999; deceased
4. Conrad A. Bessette — Served in Vermont 1973-1990; living
5. Paul M. Bresnahan — Served in Vermont 1954-2002; deceased
6. Donald A. Bruneau — Served in Vermont 1954-1994; deceased
7. James J. Campbell — Served in Vermont 1962-1965; presumed dead
8. Leo J. Courcy Jr. — Served in Vermont 1962-February 1965, February to December 1966, and January to May 1971; living
9. Robert E Devoy — Served in Vermont 1903-1955; deceased
10. Joseph H. Dussault — Served in Vermont 1934-1978; deceased
11. John F. Eastman — Served in Vermont 1946-1953; presumed dead
12. James F. Foley — Served in Vermont 1949-1979; deceased
13. Edward C. Foster — Served in Vermont 1951-1967 and 1990-1991; deceased
14. William P. Gallagher — Served in Vermont 1965-2002; deceased
15. Edward J. Gelineau — Served in Vermont 1942-1990; deceased
16. John A. Guischard — Served in Vermont 1968-1991; deceased
17. John B. “Jack” Kenney — Served in Vermont 1957-1966 and 1994-1997; living
18. Dennis J. LaRoche — Served in Vermont 1987-1992; living
19. Michael K. Madden — Served in Vermont 1970-1988; deceased
20. Charles G. Many — Served in Vermont ministry 1981-1986, Edmundite Generalate 1986-1994; living
21. James J. McShane Jr. — Served in Vermont 1966-2002; living
22. Brian E. Mead — Served in Vermont 1969-2002; living
23. Walter D. Miller — Served in Vermont 1961-1966 and 1974-2004; deceased
24. Joseph Maxime Mooney — Served in Vermont 1917-1956; deceased
25. George O. Murtagh — Served in Vermont 1950-1958 and 1963-1987; deceased
26. Stephen J. Nichols — Served in Vermont 1986-2007; living
27. Edward O. Paquette — Served in Vermont 1972-1978; living
28. George A. Paulin — Served in Vermont 1970 -2003; living
29. Raymond C. Provost — Served in Vermont 1936-1975, but continued to help in Winooski parishes until 1995; deceased
30. Daniel F. Roberts — Served in Vermont 1946-1980; deceased
31. Forest W. Rouelle — Served in Vermont 1956-1998; deceased
32. Emile W. Savary — Served in Vermont 1954-1966; deceased
33. Ronald A. Soutiere — Served in Vermont 1974-1983 and 1999-2002; living
34. Richard E. Thompson — Served in Vermont 1968-1984; deceased
35. Charles A. Towne — Served in Vermont 1931-1972; deceased
36. Raymond D. Walsh — Served in Vermont 1954-1998; deceased
37. Donal D. Ward — Served in Vermont 1963-1967 and 1976-2002; deceased
38. Alfred Willis — Served in Vermont 1976-1981; living
39. Benjamin D. Wysolmerski — Served in Vermont 1950-1993; deceased
40. Mark L. Quillen (also known as Andrew Quillen) — Served in Vermont 1990-1994; credibly accused of abuse in Diocese in Davenport, Iowa, but no allegations in Vermont; living

The entire report published by the Archdiocese of Burlington can be viewed here.

The Vermont Archdioceses has spent tens of millions of dollars to compensate victims of priest molestation and sexual abuse. In an additional effort to help with the healing process, Bishop Coyne is waiving any non-disclosure agreements held by the church, and previously signed by victims, which will allow survivors the right to tell their stories.

Looking for a Sexual Abuse Lawyer for a Claim Against the Archdiocese of Burlington?

If you or a loved one were a victim of sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of Burlington or any other Vermont diocese, contact our firm today. Our firm handles Vermont sexual abuse lawsuits and can help you understand how long you have to file a clergy abuse claim in the state of Vermont. Call us now at 1-800-941-7209 for a FREE and PRIVATE consultation. Don’t wait; your time to file a claim may be limited.

Tags BurlingtonClergy Sexual AbuseDiocese of BurlingtonPriest Accused ListVermont