Fr. James J. Beagan
Assignments included parishes in AR, NO, MI, RI, NC, PA. Died 11/17/1986 in Bethel Park, PA. Accused in a 2026 lawsuit of sexually abusing a 7- to 8-year-old girl and her friend during 1968-1970, at St. Madeline Sophie Parish in Tiverton RI. The girls were in second and third grades. Beagan would allegedly follow the girls into the bathroom after catechism class and sexually abuse them, after which he would flush the toilet and tell them they would be flushed down. Per the lawsuit, Beagan also forced each girl to watch the other being abused. The plaintiff’s friend later died by suicide.
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