Fr. Gary J. Mercure

Removed by the Diocese in 2008 without privileges after its investigation found “reasonable grounds” to believe he sexually abused a boy in the mid-1980s. In 1/2008, four men alleged abuse as boys by Mercure 1978-1991. A suit filed 5/23/2008 claims abuse of a vulnerable adult and that in 1994 the Diocese knew that Mercure had a sexual interest in children. He was found guilty 2/10/2011 of raping two boys in MA in the 1980s and was sentenced to 20-25 years in prison. An appeal was denied in 4/2013. The Bishop wanted him laicized. Portions of Mercure’s NY personnel file were released in 10/2013 in a lawsuit in VT alleging that Mercure sexually abused a boy, beginning when the boy was age 8, in VT, MA and NY; a NY Federal Appeals Court dismissed the suit in 2/2014 which prevented the release of Mercure’s NY file. Included on the Diocese’s list in 2015. Another suit was filed in 8/2019 in NY alleging abuse of a child, ages 10-12, 1974-1976. Three new complaints were filed in 6/2020. A suit filed in 2022 claims abuse of two brothers in Albany, beginning in the mid-1980s when they were about age 8 and continuing into their high school years. The suit alleges that Bishop Hubbard also abused the boys. Hubbard denied the allegations.