After years of sexual abuse allegations, former local priest Edward Paquette has apologized to his victims for his actions. Paquette was defrocked in April 2009 by the Vatican.
Updated: Sunday, 27 Sep 2009, 10:38 AM EDT
Published : Sunday, 27 Sep 2009, 10:38 AM EDT
WESTFIELD, Mass. (AP) - A former Catholic priest who once served in the Fort Wayne - South Bend diocese and accused in more than 20 lawsuits of molesting altar boys in Vermont is apologizing for his actions.
In an interview with the Burlington Free Press at his home in Westfield, Mass., 80-year-old Edward Paquette said he prays daily for the families of the people he harmed.
According to court documents, Paquette molested boys from the 1950s through the 1970s at parishes in Massachusetts, Indiana and Vermont. He was suspended from practicing as a priest in 1978 and defrocked by the Vatican last April.
One of Paquette's victims, Michael Gay of South Burlington, told the newspaper that maybe Paquette is apologetic, but that he's still not healing from Paquette's abuse. He said the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington was wrong in not warning people about Paquette because of the history of molestation charges against him before he came to Vermont.
Information from: The Burlington Free Press, http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com
Ground rules for posting comments: No profanity or personal attacks. Please comment on the subject of the story itself. If you do not follow these rules, we will remove your post. Keep it civil, folks!
Email This
Print This
View Story on a Single Page