Assignment Record– Rev. Charles E. Aubut

Summary of Case: Charles E. Abut was ordained for the Archdiocese of Boston in 1941. He assisted in parishes in the towns of in Lynn, Salem, Newton and Waltham, and he was long-time pastor of a parish in Bellingham MA. Per diocesan records released in January 2003, Aubut had at least one accusation against him of child sexual abuse; the date and location of the alleged abuse are unspecified. Aubut was supervisor of Paul Desilets, who admitted in 2002 to having sexually abused scores of boys, just before Desilets was transferred to Canada after parents complained to Aubut. Aubut was sued in at least one lawsuit because he was Desilets' immediate supervisor. Aubut retired in 1984, possibly to Lowell, MA and and died April 19, 2002.

Ordained: May 1, 1941
Retired: 1984
Died: April 19, 2002


   

Start Stop Parish Town/Accusations State Position Notes

May 1941

Boston archbishop was William Henry O'Connell (1907-1944).

May 1944 St. John the Baptist's Lynn MA Assistant pro tem  

May 1944

O'Connell was succeeded by Richard James Cushing (1944-1970).

Sept. 1946 St. Joseph's Salem MA Assistant pro tem  
Sept. 1946 July 1947 St. John the Evangelist Newton MA Assistant  
Sept. 1946 June 1949 St. Sebastian's Country Day School Newton MA Professor  
July 1947 June 1949 St. Raphael's Hall Newton MA In residence.  
June 1949 Feb. 1959 St. Joseph's Salem MA Assistant  
Feb. 1959 July 1970 or Aug. 1968 St. Joseph's Waltham MA Assistant  

July 1970 or Aug. 1968

Cushing was replaced by Humberto Sousa Medeiros (1970-1983), followed by Bernard Francis Law (1984-2002).

Dec. 1984 Assumption Bellingham MA Pastor

Aubut's personnel file contained two versions of his assignment record-one with July 1970 as his transition from Waltham to Bellingham parishes, and one with Aug. 1968 as the month and year for the transition.

Aubut was pastor and direct supervisor of Rev. Paul Desiliets at Assumption for about ten years. Desilets was indicted in 2002 and pled guilty to molesting scores of boys in Massachusetts.

Dec. 1984 April 2002 Retired Lowell MA  

Aubut's archdiocesan assignment record states, "to live in a rectory in the Lowell area" upon retirement, but he is not listed at any Lowell rectories between 1985-2002. The Directories list him as at 84 Lilley Ave. in Lowell through 1997. The 1998-2003 Directories do not list addresses for Aubut.

Aubut died April 19, 2002.

 

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1985-2003)

• Boston Archdiocesan Assignment Record
• Records on 10 Clergy Released, By Sacha Pfeiffer, January 31, 2003
• Mom Defends Ex-Priest Son Accused of Sexual Abuse, By Robin Washington and Franci Richardson, Boston Herald, January 31, 2003
• North Shore Priests on List, Salem News, August 26, 2011


Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Aubut's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory and other sources noted, with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on Sept. 10, 2011.