Some Catholics in North Adams have for years suspected in a vague, general sort of way that the Rev. Richard R. Lavigne must have sexually abused young people from North Adams.
After all, Lavigne, who was assigned for a time as a curate at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in North Adams, is a convicted child molester and has been accused by more than 20 men of sexual abuse in the last 12-plus years.
Paul R. Babeu, a well-known political figure, from a highly respected family in the city, has gone public with a charge not only of abuse by Lavigne, as well as by another priest in Vermont, but with the charge that promises from the Diocese of Springfield that Lavigne would not be allowed to molest other children were not kept.
Babeu alleges that most of the abuse happened in Shelburne Falls, between 1982 and 1985 when he was between the ages of 13 and 16. Lavigne, who was a friend of the Babeu family, was pastor of a church there when charges were filed against him.
According to the Springfield Union-News, Lavigne pleaded guilty to molesting two boys in 1992. In 1994, the Diocese of Springfield settled a lawsuit for $1.4 million with 17 alleged victims of Lavigne. Three more suits alleging sexual abuse have been filed against Lavigne recently. Lavigne was also a suspect in the murder of altar boy Danny Croteau of Springfield in 1972.
At a press conference on Monday morning, June 10, in front of the Franklin County Courthouse in Greenfield, Babeu announced the filing of a motion asking the Franklin County Superior Court to revoke the the impoundment order on the criminal prosecutions of Lavigne.
“In 1986, a nun a priest and Babeu’s brother reported to the Diocese of Springfield credible allegations of abuse reported by then-17-year-old Babeu,†states a press release from Babeu’s attorney, John J. Stobierski, Greenfield. “It was represented to Babeu that the diocese would take certain actions to prevent Lavigne from molesting other children.
“Apparently, those actions were not adequate as Lavigne allegedly molested numerous other children after Babeu’s report,†the release adds.
Stobierski confirmed the allegation that Lavigne passed Babeu off to a priest in Vermont for more abuse.
Babeu, along with an unidentified man using the alias John Doe, want to open records of the 1992 case in which Lavigne admitted to molesting two boys.
“John Doe†— a 22-year-old Franklin County man — is seeking damages in a lawsuit charging that church officials knew that Lavigne was a child molester and did nothing to prevent further abuse. In a phone conversation with The Advocate yesterday, Stobierski said he is representing “John Doe†— allegedly molested by Lavigne as a child of nine — and Babeu’s input is helpful in making his case in seeking damages.
Stobierski said Babeu cannot file criminal charges against Lavigne as a result of a plea bargain in the 1992 case in which Lavigne pled guilty to two counts.
As a result, criminal prosecution of Lavigne in Babeu’s case was dismissed, “because the district attorney’s office agreed not to prosecute any allegations they knew or could have known about,†according to Stobierski’s press release.
“Lavigne’s attorney and the district attorney requested the file be impounded. Babeu wants the file public to prevent this from happening again,†according to the press release. “The affidavits and pleadings remain impounded which could assist the victims in proving their allegations [that] the diocese negligently supervised and monitored Lavigne.â€
Babeu has not yet filed a lawsuit, Stobierski said by phone yesterday.
“It’s not about money,†Stobierski said of Babeu’s action. “It’s about justice for him.â€
Babeu made his announcement Monday with the Catholic priest and nun who reportedly said they separately told former Diocese of Springfield Auxiliary Bishop Leo E. O’Neil in 1986 that Babeu was being abused by Lavigne.
Reportedly standing with Babeu during the announcement were the Rev. Eugene D. Honan, former pastor of St. Francis Church, and Sister Eunice Tassone, a Sister of St. Joseph who ministers to disadvantaged youth in North Adams.
The Advocate received announcement of the press conference two-and-half-hours before it happened Monday morning and could not send a reporter in time to cover it.
Babeu, 33, is a former Berkshire County Commissioner and member of the North Adams City Council. He is a two-time unsuccessful candidate for mayor of North Adams, in 1997 and 2001. He ran unsuccessfully for state senator in 1996. He has been active in the National Guard, and served as headmaster at the DeSisto School in Stockbridge. He is nearing completion of a master’s degree in public administration at American International College in Springfield.
A call to his answering machine Monday was not returned.
The Springfield Diocese responds
The Diocese of Springfield released the following statement Monday after Babeu’s press conference:
“In 1986 an individual came forward to the late Bishop O’Neil reporting that Fr. Richard Lavigne had sexual contact with a member of his family who was in his early teens. After being informed of the allegations Bishop Joseph F. Maguire requested a mental health evaluation of Fr. Lavigne to determine if he should be removed from his parish assignment. The result of that evaluation was that Fr. Lavigne was not a threat to re-offend and he could, with counseling, continue his duties. The diocese was aware of no further complaints concerning Fr. Lavigne until he was arrested in 1991.
“In 1991 Fr. Lavigne was immediately removed from all parish ministry and will never be allowed to function as a priest again. In 1993, Bishop O’Neil was interviewed by law enforcement officials in this matter and the diocese provided whatever documentation it had.
“Fr. Lavigne would never have been permitted to remain in his assignment if the diocese thought he represented a threat to anyone, particularly young people. Under guidelines instituted in our diocese in 1993, and in effect now, he would have been removed immediately from all parish ministry.â€
The effect on faith
Stobierski said yesterday that he knows of two other alleged victims of Lavigne in North Adams, “and likely others as well.â€
When asked, he confirmed that Lavigne, though not functioning as a priest, has not officially been defrocked — or laicized — that is, officially declared by the church to be no longer a priest. In fact, the Diocese of Springfield is still financially supporting Lavigne, Stobierski said.
(Church officials have said that under current Canon Law defrocking a priest is a difficult process.)
Stobierski said he is a practicing Catholic, a former altar boy, and a former member of his parish council. A source at the Diocese of Springfield confirmed this is so. When asked, Stobierski affirmed that Honan and Tassone did the right thing when Babeu brought his allegations of abuse to them.
“They did the absolute right thing,†he said.
Stobierski does not feel the Diocese of Springfield’s policies instituted in 1993, which include a commission to receive and evaluate charges of abuse, are adequate.
“There needs to be a more systemic change in the Catholic Church to prevent it,†he said
(Articles by current Springfield Bishop Thomas Dupre in the diocesan newspaper have pointed out that this commission includes people in professions required by law to report abuse of a child).
Stobierski said that such commissions deal with cases of abuse after they happen: “I think that’s too late.â€
What is needed are measures to prevent abuse from happening in the first place. Boys are very reluctant to report sexual abuse, so if this crime is still being committed by priests in the diocese it may take 10 years for it to come to light, Stobierski said.
He confirmed the impression that the Babeu family was once a very devoted Catholic family. Paul Babeu’s father, Raymond, once a staunch and vocal Catholic, later became an evangelical Protestant preacher with a program on public access television. Stobierski referred questions on whether the alleged abuse was responsible for any change from Catholic practice to Paul Babeu himself, but Stobierski did offer a personal observation:
Of the 20 clients he has represented in cases of alleged sexual abuse in the Diocese of Springfield, “not one is still a practicing Catholic.â€
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RFP Ready for North County High School Study
By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The working group for the Northern Berkshire Educational Collaborative last week approved a request for proposals to study secondary education regional models.
The members on Tuesday fine-tuned the RFP and set a date of Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 4 p.m. to submit bids. The bids must be paper documents and will be accepted at the Northern Berkshire School Union offices on Union Street.
Some members had penned in the first week of January but Timothy Callahan, superintendent for the North Adams schools, thought that wasn't enough time, especially over the holidays.
"I think that's too short of a window if you really want bids," he said. "This is a pretty substantial topic."
That topic is to look at the high school education models in North County and make recommendations to a collaboration between Hoosac Valley Regional and Mount Greylock Regional School Districts, the North Adams Public Schools and the town school districts making up the Northern Berkshire School Union.
The study is being driven by rising costs and dropping enrollment among the three high schools. NBSU's elementary schools go up to Grade 6 or 8 and tuition their students into the local high schools.
The feasibility study of a possible consolidation or collaboration in Grades 7 through 12 is being funded through a $100,000 earmark from the Fair Share Act and is expected to look at academics, faculty, transportation, legal and governance issues, and finances, among other areas.
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