Father Paul Desilets csv

 

Father Desilets at Cornwall Classical College

Paul Desilets some time after 1984 at Notre Dame de Lourdes, the popular Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes at Rigaud,Quebec

Father Desilets October 2006

Ordained: 05 January 1963 (possibly in Springfield, Mass.)

1967-1968: teaching at Classical College in Cornwall, a school operated by the Clerics of St. Viateur (Viatorians)Cornwall

1967 - responsible for the "Jeunesses en Marche"in the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall 

1968: the Cornwall Classical College closed its doors. 

around 1969: Father Paul Desilets surfaced in the Boston Archdiocese

1973-1974: listed in directory at Marlborough, Mass.,USA (Archdiocese of Boston)

1974-1984: priest a Our Lady of Assumption, Bellingham, Mass., USA (Archdiocese of Boston)

1980-1984: allegedly sent away for psychological counselling several times.

around 1984: returned to Canada. Served as priest at the popular Notre Dame de Lourdes shrine in Rigaud, Quebec, a small community which neighbours the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall. Desilet's order, the Clerics of St. Viateur (or St. Viator: Viatorians), run the shrine, a school and other facilities in Rigaud. Desilets served as a priest at the shrine for years, hearing confessions, saying Masses and providing spiritual direction.  His superiors, aware of sexual abuse allegations against him, said that it was felt the Shrine would be a good place for Desilets because he would interacting with adults and not around children. Children, however, are known to accompany their parents to the shrine.

12 April 2002: Father Paul Desilets a Canadian Viatorian priest, indicted in the Boston clerical sexual abuse scandal

17 April 2002: Father Paul Desilets, identified as a former teacher at the Cornwall Classical College, a college operated by the Viatorians 

"The Boys of Assumption Parish," a CBC Radio account of the sexual abuse allegations against Father Desilets wherein Canadian lawyer for Viatorians says Father Paul Desilets is entitled to "the presumption of innocece" and excerpts from mid 80s correspendence advising Viatorians of sexual abuse allegations

Priest who reported altar boys' sexual abuse allegations against Desilets in 1985 was a molester himself

Father Paul Desilets says two former altar boys' sexual abuse allegations are exaggerated.

May 2005: "Father Hands" pleads guilty to 32 counts of sexual abuse involving 18 former altar boys 

20 October 2006: Lawyer argues priest is infirm: Probation change sought

Father Paul Desilet's release and return to Canada imminent - does not want to engage in sex-offender therapy.

21 October 2006: Decision on priest delayed: Exemption from sex offender counseling is sought

24 October 2006: Retired priest who abused boys is allowed to return to Canada: Rev. Desilets, 82, finishes sentence