MASSACHUSETTS
The Republican
By Stephanie Barry | sbarry@repub.com
on March 29, 2016
SPRINGFIELD — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield on Tuesday night released new details about the disciplinary history of the late Rev. Paul Archmbault, subject of a recent civil settlement who committed suicide in 2011 when confronted about the abuse of a teenage boy, officials have said.
Archambault fatally shot himself with one of his own guns at Our Lady of Hope rectory. He did not leave a note, according to police. But, diocesan officials on Tuesday conceded the suicide was likely prompted by a confrontation over the abuse. It has not been publicly disclosed who reportedly confronted the priest.
The 42-year-old Archambault had been ordained just six years earlier. A lawsuit filed in 2013, when the victim was 20, states that he began sexually assaulting the victim, “John Doe,” when the boy was 13; the molestation continued for about four years. The complaint alleges the abuse took place at a Chicopee parish, a shrine to the Virgin Mary in Vermont and at Archambault’s father’s home in Northampton.
The victim is a Chesterfield native but has not been named in court records or by the diocese. As a policy, The Republican typically does not name victims of sexual abuse.
The diocese deemed the allegations against Archambault “credible” and settled with the victim for an as-yet undisclosed money judgment in late January. The settlement was announced earlier on Tuesday. Church officials have made a point to note that Archambault knew the victim and his family long before the priest was ordained.
Plaintiff’s lawyer John Connor argued the diocese ignored previous “red flags” raised by parishioners about Archambault’s behavior around children.
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