Priest Tried to Drown Boy after Abusing Him

By Haidee V Eugenio
Indian Expres
September 22, 2017

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/09/21/lawsuit-priest-tried-drown-boy-after-abusing-him/688022001/

Father Louis Brouillard is shown in this undated Pacific Daily News file photo receiving a Silver Beaver award for his scouting hierarchy from a Navy captain.

Former island priest Louis Brouillard tried to drown an altar boy after he molested him while swimming, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court. The lawsuit also states Brouillard abused him on other occasions, purportedly to teach him about sex.

The plaintiff, identified in court documents only as R.A.S. to protect his privacy, said he was 10 or 11 when he became an altar boy in or about 1955. But it was around 1956 that Brouillard started sexually abusing and molesting him, the lawsuit states.

R.A.S., now 73, said one day, instead of dropping altar boys home, Brouillard took them swimming. R.A.S. told Brouillard he didn't know how to swim, and the priest said he would teach him, the complaint states. Brouillard allegedly told them to swim naked, but R.A.S. refused to take off his clothes.

The lawsuit states R.A.S. started squirming and moved Brouillard's hand away when the priest started groping and touching his private parts.

"Brouillard then pushed R.A.S.'s head under water as if he was trying to drown R.A.S.," the lawsuit states. "R.A.S. began fighting and struggling to come up for air. Eventually, Brouillard let R.A.S. go and told him that the first thing R.A.S. should know about swimming is learning how not to drown."

The lawsuit states R.A.S. was so traumatized by the incident, he lost his faith in the church, quit being an altar boy, and lost interest in the priesthood.

Brouillard also allegedly played with the boy's private parts under the guise of teaching him about sex, the lawsuit states. "Before Brouillard dropped R.A.S. back home, Brouillard gave R.A.S. a jock strap and a bunch of coins, and instructed R.A.S. not to tell his parents," the lawsuit states.

R.A.S., represented by attorney David Lujan, demands a jury trial and $10 million in minimum damages. The named defendants are the Archdiocese of Agana, Boy Scouts of America and its Aloha Council Chamorro District, Brouillard and up to 50 others.

R.A.S. is the 110th person to file a lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Agana and other religious orders over alleged sex abuse by clergy or others affiliated with the Catholic church on Guam. He is also the 64th person to accuse Brouillard of sexual abuse, molestation or rape.

Dozens of Brouillard accusers said they were abused by Brouillard while swimming as part of Boy Scouts of America outings at the Lonfit River. Brouillard was a scoutmaster.

Contact: heugenio@guampdn.com