Fr. Edward O. Paquette, Jr.

Ordained: 1957
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of Burlington VT

Ordained for the Diocese of Fall River; faculties removed in 1963. Serial abuser of boys. Sent to treatment in IN, worked in Fort Wayne-South Bend diocese. After 7 years, accepted into the Burlington diocese; sent to treatment in  1974 and 1978; faculties removed in 1978; per an internal memo, the Diocese could no longer could keep a lid on things. Allegations of abuse in MA, IN and VT, including of abuse of a hospitalized male teenage quadriplegic. The first VT suit settled for $965K in 4/2006. Named in a 3/2007 suit. A jury awarded $8.7M to one plaintiff in 5/2008. One suit settled in 7/2008. Another tried to mistrial in 8/2008. A third trial in 12/2008 awarded $3.6M. Laicization announced in 5/2009. A fourth trial in 10/2009 awarded $2.2M. In 5/2010, 23 of 28 cases were settled. Paquette was living in Westfield MA in the Springfield diocese at the time. Four more suits were filed in 2010. Eleven settled in 1/2013. Included on the Ft. Wayne-South Bend IN diocese’s 9/18/2018 list. Suit filed in 8/2019. On the Burlington diocese’s list 8/22/2019. On the Fall River diocese’s list in 1/2021. Named in a lawsuit in 9/2024.

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