Raoul Gauthier
Father Raoul Gauthier
Ordained 07 May 1933 in and for the Diocese of Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. To the United States – Minnesota – around 1940.
In 1979, while serving in Diocese of St. Cloud, MN, admitted sexually abusing a 37-year-old mentally retarded man in August 1978. Charges were laid, Father Gauthier failed to appear in court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He returned to Gravelbourg. A decision was made not to extradite him. He remained in Gravelbourg until his death in 1995. Whether or not he ever assisted with Masses and/or Confessions in the Gravelbourg Diocese after he fled the States to elude justice is unknown.
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Bishops of Diocese of Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan from time of Fathr Raoul Gautheir’s ordination until his death: Louis-Joseph-Arthur Melanson (25 November 1932 – 16 December 1936); Joseph-Wilfrid Guy, O.M.I. (02 Jun2 1937 – 07 November 1942 ); Marie-Joseph Lemieux, O.P. (15 April 1944 – 20 June 1953 when appointed, Archbishop of Ottawa, Ontario); Aimé Décosse (03 November 1953 – 12 May 1973 ); Noël Delaquis, O.C.S.O. (o3 December 1973 – 10 April 1995)
(The Diocese of Gravelbourg, created in January 1930, was suppressed 14 September 1998. That territory is now part of the Archdiocese of Regina)
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Media and BLOGS
14 November 2017: BLOG Another fugitive priest
03 June 2014: Bishop of St Cloud Diocese release of names of clergy credibly accused (Father Raoul Gauthier’s name is on the list)
MEDIA re charges
26 January 1980: Priest won’t be extradited to face charges
22 November 1979: Sexual misconduct charge filed against retired priest
25 October 1979: Investigation under way on sex allegations against priest ( first part)
Part 2: Investigation under way on sex allegations against priest (Continued )
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The following information is drawn from Canadian Catholic Church Directories (CCCD) which I have on hand, media (M), geneaology (G) and information on the Bishop Accountability website (BA)
1995: Died in Gravelbourg, Sask. at age 92
Father Raoul Gauthier Gravelbourg grave
1994, 1994, 1991: P.O. Box 835, Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. Phone: 306-648-2202 (CCCD)
1985-1986: Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. Shown in index as incardinated in the Diocese of Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan (CCCD)
January 1989: County Attorney said he doe not plan to extradite Father Gauthier. Gauthier is a Canadian citizen(M)
13 December 1979: failed to appear in court. Warrant issued for his arrest (M)
November 1979: Charged with criminal conduct in the fourth degree (M)
August 1978: sexual assault of a 37-year-old mentally retarded man (M)
1979: Living at Rearview Manor nursing home in Sauk Centre. Offered Mass at St. Michael’s hospital, the nursing home and assisted as a priest when needed in parishes in the Sauk Centre area (M)
1969-1978: Chaplain at St. Michael’s hospital, Sauk Centre (Diocese of St. Cloud) (BA)
1968-1969: Our Lady of the Snow, Nevis, Minnesota – a “clergy retreat house” run by the Servants of the Paraclete(BA) (this centre offered, among other things, “treatment” for clergy accused of sexual misconduct, including sexual abuse of children)
1953-1968: Chaplain at St. Michael’s hospital, Sauk Centre (Diocese of St. Cloud) (BA)
1952: according to 25 October 1979 article, diocesan records indicate Father Gauthier had been Chaplain at the hospital from 1952 (M)
1948-1953: Not indexed in directories (BA)
01 December 1952: “Officially certified” in the St. Cloud Diocese (does this mean he was incardinated? (M)
1944-1948: Chaplain, St. James Hospital, Perham, Minnesota (BA)
1940-1944: Chaplain, St. Mary’s Hospital, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota – Diocese of Crookston (BA)
1939-1940: St. Boniface Archdiocese (BA) ? Is this accurate? was he with the Archdiocese of Saint Boniface? was he perhaps receiving treatment of some kind somewhere within the archdiocese? Note that he was off to the states the following year.
1935-1939: index shows him in Meyronne, Saskatchewan (BA)
– he is not listed in the diocesan pages as at Our Lady of Lourdes but it is the only church in Meyronne (BA)
1933-1935: assisting at Our Lady of Auvergne Roman Catholic Church, Ponteix, Saskatchewan (Pastor Father N. Poirier) (BA)
07 May 1933: ORDAINED in Gravelbourg (G)
1908: Family moved to Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan (G)
09 June 1903: Born in Tingwick, Quebec