Breaking: Mass. priest accused of child sex abuse found dead

Support the Café

Search our Site

Breaking: Mass. priest accused of child sex abuse found dead

September 27, 2012
Episcopal Cafe

An Episcopal priest who was arraigned earlier this month in a Somerville courtroom on charges that he repeatedly sexually assaulted a child who was a former parishioner has died, his lawyer and the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts said on Wednesday night. ….

LaCharite, 65, had pleaded not guilty on Sept. 10 to charges that he sexually assaulted the former parishioner, who is now 26, over a ten-year period at the St. James Episcopal Church in Somerville, where the priest had been assigned from 1989 to 2005.

“This is an unspeakable tragedy,” said David Meier, a lawyer for LaCharite, who was found dead on Wednesday night in Boston. “Father Paul LaCharite was truly an innocent man who was driven to the depths of despair by a false accusation.”

Bishop Thomas Shaw of Massachusetts released the following statement:

With sorrow I received news this evening that the Rev. Paul LaCharite has died, an apparent suicide. This is a shocking tragedy, and I’ve asked our diocesan community to pray for everyone concerned.

Café Comments?

Our comment policy requires that you use your real first and last names and provide an email address (your email will not be published). Comments that use non-PG rated language, include personal attacks, that are not provable as fact or that we deem in any way to be counter to our mission of fostering respectful dialogue will not be posted.

3 Comments

Newest

Oldest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

tgflux

September 27, 2012 8:53 pm

Prayers for Justice, Mercy, and the Truth being brought to light. May all the departed rest in peace.

JC Fisher

Bill Dilworth

September 27, 2012 2:24 pm

My heart goes out to his husband, and I’ll be praying for everyone involved.

Bob McCloskey

September 27, 2012 8:55 am

I did not know Fr. LaCharite. However, I consider my early years as Rector of St.James, Teele Sq. West Somerville, and Episcopal/R.C. Chaplain with the Paulist Fathers at nearby Tufts University [1969-1972] among the happiest years of ministry.

I pray for all the parishioners of St.James at this time. It was and is a very special place in my memory.

Fr. Bob McCloskey

wpDiscuz

Support the Café

Past Posts

The Episcopal Café seeks to be an independent voice, reporting and reflecting on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican tradition. The Café is not a platform of advocacy, but it does aim to tell the story of the church from the perspective of Progressive Christianity. Our collective sympathy, as the Café, lies with the project of widening the circle of inclusion within the church and empowering all the baptized for the role to which they have been called as followers of Christ.

The opinions expressed at the Café are those of individual contributors, and, unless otherwise noted, should not be interpreted as official statements of a parish, diocese or other organization. The art and articles that appear here remain the property of their creators.