Waterville Priest Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Minor

WGME
May 8, 2017

http://wgme.com/news/local/waterville-priest-accused-of-sexual-abuse-of-a-minor

The Diocese of Portland says there has been a substantiated claim of sexual abuse against a pastor of St. Joseph Maronite Church in Waterville.

Jensen is not a priest of the Diocese of Portland. The St. Joseph Maronite Church is part of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, which stretches from Maine to Florida.

The diocese says it was notified by Bishop Gregory John Mansour, the bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn.

Church leaders say the incident took place between 2000 and 2003, while Father Jensen was a pastor at a parish in Danbury, Conn.

He has worked in Waterville since 2006. There are no other known allegations of sexual abuse against him.

A representative from the Eparchy said the alleged victim is a male and that Father Jensen told the church official he was not aware the victim was underage.

"When I spoke to Father Larry, who was very cooperative, might I add, he said that he just assumed the person was eighteen," said Chorbishop Michael Thomas of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn.

"It seems that it was definitely a consensual thing, and I don't consider Father Larry to be a predator but nonetheless he was the priest and he was older and should have known to say no, that's the bottom line."

A representative from the church came to Waterville over the weekend to explain the situation to members of the church and that Father Jensen would not be returning.

They appointed a new pastor and asked if anyone knows of an incident of sexual abuse to come forward.