Priest Accused of ‘inappropriate Behavior’ Cleared to Resume Duties at Northfield Parish

By Republican via Mass Live
Anne-Gerard Flynn
June 18, 2020

https://www.masslive.com/news/2020/06/priest-accused-of-inappropriate-behavior-cleared-to-resume-duties-at-northfield-parish.html

SPRINGFIELD — The Rev. Thomas Lisowski has been cleared to resume his full duties as a priest in Northfield after being placed on administrative leave in November in connection with an allegation of “inappropriate behavior involving a vulnerable adult.”

According to an announcement from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, the recommendation to lift the temporary suspension was made to Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski by the diocesan review board after receiving a report from its investigative services.

Lisowski, ordained in 1986, has ministered for the last decade at St. Patrick’s Parish, a small parish of about 110 members near the Vermont border.

The June 18 announcement identified the Northwestern district attorney’s office as the law enforcement agency to which the allegation was first referred for investigation before the diocese undertook its own investigation.

At the time the allegation was made, the diocese said it was “reported to the appropriate public authorities and agencies” and it would “also investigate this matter, but only after civil authorities have completed their investigation and indicated we may proceed.”

It also said at the time that Lisowski disputed “the allegation and has asserted his innocence.”

A temporary pastoral team, including a deacon administrator, was assigned to the parish in Lisowski’s absence.

The diocese defines vulnerable adults as “those who are uniquely vulnerable to abuse because of physical or mental disabilities.”

Its June 18 announcement said Lisowski “was placed on a temporary leave as a result of an allegation of misconduct which became known to the diocese through social media postings.”

The diocese said recently that three priests had been temporarily removed from public ministry within the last 12 months pending investigations due to sexual abuse allegations.

During the last year-and-a-half, when the Hampden County district attorney’s office established its own hotline for clergy sex abuse allegations, the Springfield Diocese appointed a new head of its child protection and victim assistance offices.

The diocese also hired three new investigators for complaints of clergy sexual abuse of minors and entered into an agreement with district attorneys in Western Massachusetts to first report any allegation of clergy sexual abuse to the appropriate DA for investigation.