Fr. Bernard W. Bissonnette

Worked in CT, MN and NM. Accused of the sexual abuse of numerous youths during almost every assignment. One alleged victim is known to have died by suicide. Named in a 1997 civil suit. Another victim filed civil lawsuit in 2002; in 7/2006, the CT Supreme Court ruled that the suit was timely filed and sent it back down to lower court to be tried. Laicized 5/20/2005, announced in 3/2006. Cited in a 11/2008 RICO suit. Died 12/24/2008. Accused in a lawsuit filed in 11/2015 of the rape of a NM altar boy, who also alleged rape by Fr. James Porter. Bissonette had been sent to the Servants of the Paraclete in Jemez Springs NM for treatment after abusing children in CT. Included on the Duluth diocese’s list in 12/2015. Accused in a 12/17/2015 suit of raping an altar boy, age 7-12, hundreds of times 1968-1973 at St. Alice’s in Mountainair NM. Included on the Santa Fe archdiocese’s list 9/12/2017. On the Las Cruces diocese’s list 11/8/2018. On the Norwich diocese’s list in 2/2019. A man alleged in a 5/2019 proof of claim form related to the Archdiocese’s bankruptcy that he was sexually abused beginning at age 3 or 4 by Bissonnette from about 1973-1976, and that Bissonnette was also abusing his older brothers and possibly a sister. He said Bissonnette would duct tape him to a chair, duct taped his mouth, put him in a closet, and that from there he could see Bissonnette rape his brothers. In a 6/2019 proof of claim form a woman alleged that Bissonnette sexually abused older brothers, who then abused her, when she was 8 years-old in 1973.  Accused in a lawsuit filed in 7/2025 of sexually abusing a boy multiple times at St. Eleanor’s in Ruidoso NM in about 1984, when the boy was age 10. Per the lawsuit, Bissonnette sexually abused over 30 boys while in NM.