Former priest Paul Shanley, key figure in Boston clergy sex abuse scandal, dies

BOSTON (MA)
WFXT-TV

November 6, 2020

By Maria Papadopoulos

Ware – Paul Shanley, a former Catholic priest who served time in prison for child rape and a key figure in the Boston clergy sex abuse scandal, has died, Ware Police have confirmed.

Shanley, a Ware resident, died on Oct. 28 of heart failure, police said. He was 89 years old.

In 2005, Shanley was convicted of raping a child repeatedly in the 1980s. He formerly served as a priest at St. Jean’s Parish in Newton.

In 2017, he was released from prison after completing his 12-year sentence.

Shanley lived out his remaining days as a sex offender.

Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who represented several victims in the church sex abuse scandal, said in a statement that he was not aware of Shanley’s passing until Friday, when contacted by media.

“Respectfully, children are now safer because of the passing of Fr. Paul Shanley. Unfortunately, the amount of human pain caused by Fr. Shanley and the Archdiocese of Boston is continuing and immeasurable,” Garabedian said.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.