FALL RIVER — The Diocese of Fall River announced on Monday that it considers three additional priests to be “credibly accused” of sexual abuse.
The three priests are Father James Buckley, Father Edward Byington and Father Richard Degagne. Degagne, previously the pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Easton, was suspended in 2019. Buckley and Byington were both already retired but were suspended last year.
The diocese independently reviewed facts related to the alleged abuse and received recommendations from a review board created by the diocese to analyze accusations of abuse made against local clergy members, it said in the announcement.
The review found that allegations against all three priests were credible, and the diocese informed them that they would not be returning to ministry.
“They are not permitted to exercise any public ministry including the celebration of public Mass or of other sacraments. They may not provide spiritual direction, may not wear clerical attire, or present themselves as priests,” the diocese said in the announcement.
In 2019, the diocese announced it was reviewing all of its records related to the abuse or allegations of abuse of a minor. Earlier this year, as a result of the review, the diocese released a list of 75 clergy members who have been credibly or publicly accused of sexual abuse.
Accusers have been pressing for action
Richard Eldridge, who accuses Byington of sexual abusing him in the 1970s, held a press conference in Fall River last month urging the diocese to find his accusations to be credible. A second man who has remained anonymous recently raised similar accusations against Byington.
“I’m tired of waiting for justice,” he said during the press conference
Attorney Mitchell Garabedian represents the two men who have accused Byington of abuse along with two men who have accused Degagne of abusing them as children and two women who said Buckley sexually abused them when they were children.
“It is an honor to represent courageous clergy sexual abuse survivors who have come forward to report the evils of clergy sexual abuse and remind the Diocese of Fall River about the meaning of morality,” he said in a statement on Monday.
Accused priests’ previous assignments
Buckley was assigned to seven local churches during his time as an active priest: St. Mary Cathedral in Fall River, Sacred Heart in Fall River, Immaculate Conception in Fall River, St. Joan of Arc in Orleans, St. Augustine in Vineyard Haven, St. Margaret in Buzzards Bay and Holy Redeemer in Chatham.
Byington has assignments at St. John in Attleboro, Sacred Heart in Taunton, St. Patrick in Fall River, St. Paul in Taunton, St. George in Westport, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Seekonk, Girl Scouts of America in the Attleboro area, Sacred Heart in Fall River, St. Francis in Hyannis and St. Thomas More in Somerset.
Degagne worked at St. John in Attleboro, Holy Name in Fall River, St. Anthony of Padua in New Bedford, Notre Dame in Fall River, Sacred Heart in North Attleboro, Immaculate Conception in Taunton, St. John Neumann in East Freetown and Immaculate Conception in North Easton.
Audrey Cooney can be reached at acooney@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News today.
10 WJAR
After 10 years of sex abuse claims, Fall River accuser finds relief in ousted priest
(WJAR) — Three more Catholic priests in Bristol County, Massachusetts are banned from the ministry after church leaders found allegations of child sex abuse to be credible.
One alleged victim is speaking publicly after what he calls a ten-year battle with the Diocese of Fall River.
Richard Eldridge says the sexual abuse started in the early 1970s when he was around 16-years-old, following a catholic retreat he attended while in high school where the nuns tried to block the staircase.
“They were trying to protect me — and he pushed his way through and brought me upstairs,” he said. “I don’t want any other kids to end up in this situation and go through what I went through.”
His alleged abuser, Father Edward Byington, was assigned to various parishes in Bristol County, including: St. John, Attleboro; Sacred Heart, Taunton; St. Patrick, Fall River; St. Paul, Taunton; St. George, Westport; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Seekonk; Girl Scouts of America, Attleboro Area; Sacred Heart, Fall River; St. Francis, Hyannis; St. Thomas More, Somerset.
On Monday the Diocese of Fall River announced he and two other priests, Father James Buckley and Father Richard Degagne, were added to the list of “credibly accused” clergy.
Buckley was assigned to: St. Mary Cathedral, Fall River; Sacred Heart, Fall River; Immaculate Conception, Fall River; St. Joan of Arc, Orleans; St. Augustine, Vineyard Haven; St. Margaret, Buzzards Bay; Holy Redeemer, Chatham.
Degagne was assigned to: St. John, Attleboro; Holy Name, Fall River; St. Anthony of Padua, New Bedford; Notre Dame, Fall River; Sacred Heart, North Attleboro; Immaculate Conception, Taunton; St. John Neumann, East Freetown; Immaculate Conception, North Easton
All three of them were already suspended and deny the allegations.
None of them will return to ministry in any capacity.
“Diocese after diocese after diocese continue to put these people on hold. By putting them on hold what they do is — keep the memories and the trauma and the post-traumatic stress disorder in the front of the lives of all of these people. It has to stop,” said Robert Hoatson of Road to Recovery, a non-profit charity that assists victims of sexual abuse.
In a statement, the Diocese of Fall River said it followed its protocols including notifying civil authorities, conducting its own investigations, and bringing the cases to the Ministerial Review Board.
“My prayers remain with any and all who have suffered sexual abuse by clergy, especially as a minor,” said Bishop da Cunha. “Their pain is real and long-lasting, and perpetrators must be held accountable.”
“The question remains — where were the supervisors of the Diocese of Fall River? Why didn’t they protect innocent children from being sexually abused repeatedly over the course of decades,” said attorney Mitchell Garabedian. “The catholic church needs to be held accountable.”
The Diocese also said it has a Victim Assistance Outreach program offering services for victims of clergy sexual abuse and their families, but Eldridge says he was never offered any help. “I want to be financially compensated by the Diocese for the agony they have been putting me through, for the depression they have put me through and documented in the primary care,” he said.
Garabedian said they are set to discuss a financial settlement in January.
A spokesperson for Bishop da Cuhna declined an interview with NBC 10 on Tuesday.
