Diocese criticized for not listing some accused priests

BOSTON – A lawyer representing victims of clergy sex abuse criticized the Archdiocese of Boston on Tuesday for not listing on its website the names of several priests who have faced accusations, including five clerics who are dead.

Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who has represented hundreds of victims, said by not publicly naming the priests, the diocese has shown it has “lost the ability to understand the need to protect children and help victims try to heal.”

“The Archdiocese of Boston and the Catholic Church have lost their moral compass and need to find it quickly for the sake of children,” Garabedian said in emailed statement.

The archdiocese said in an emailed statement that it immediately reported all allegations to law enforcement when it received them and that it has been consistent with its policy about which accused priests it publicly lists online.

The archdiocese said five of the priests died before allegations against them were received, meaning they were not added to the list, as is the archdiocese’s policy.

Cardinal Sean O’Malley said in an explanation on the archdiocese’s website that it had to balance “interests related to the due process rights and reputations” of certain clergy, including those who didn’t have a chance to respond to the allegations when they were alive.

Another priest, the Rev. Richard Donahue, is retired, and the allegations against him remain under investigation, the archdiocese said. It was not immediately clear if Donahue has an attorney.