MA: Better Late Than Never

I doubt this will satisfy very many parishoners, who've seen the church move at a snail's pace for far too long, but it least shows they're willing to eventually take action against the abusers.

Why there aren't more criminal prosecutions remains a point of debate:


(Boston Herald)

BOSTON - Four priests accused of sexually abusing children have been defrocked by the Vatican, the Boston Archdiocese announced Friday.

Robert D. Fay, Kelvin Iguabita, Bernard Lane and Robert Ward are ``no longer in the clerical state,'' meaning they can no longer function as priests and will no longer receive any financial support from the Boston Archdiocese.

Iguabita was convicted in June 2003 of raping a 15-year-old girl while he was assigned to a church in Haverhill in 2000. He was sentenced to 12 to 14 years in prison.

Lane was accused by at least 17 men of abusing them as children. Some of the alleged abuse took place at the Alpha Omega House for troubled youth in Littleton, a facility he founded and directed in the 1970s. Lane retired in 1999, but remained a priest.

Fay was accused of molesting a Melrose teenager in the 1970s at a New Hampshire home, according to a lawsuit included in Fay's archdiocese personnel file. He denied the allegations.

Ward was suspended by the archdiocese in February 2002 after it received a single allegation of sexual misconduct involving a minor. Ward had previously had several church assignments and later worked in the archdiocese's development office.