LYNN (MA)
The Daily Item
By Cyrus Moulton / The Daily Item
LYNN — The Archdiocese of Boston has placed the Rev. James E. Gaudreau, pastor of St. Joseph’s Church, on administrative leave after receiving an allegation of sexual abuse of a child, according to an Archdiocese statement Friday.
“The Archdiocese will work with the parish if there is any help that they need,” said Archdiocese spokesperson Kellyanne Dignan in a phone interview Sunday. She declined to give any information on the complaint other than it involved a child, and the conduct in question is alleged to have occurred around 2006. The alleged conduct “was only recently reported to the Archdiocese,” the statement said.
“To protect the privacy of the individual and to protect the integrity of the investigation, I cannot get into any more details of the complaint,” Dignan said.
Gaudreau, 69, has been at the St. Joseph’s since 1984 and its pastor since 1993, Dignan said. She said that the Archdiocese provided staff to assist with pastoral care and to celebrate Masses on Saturday and Sunday and informed parishioners. Dignan said Masses will continue as scheduled.
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