Assignment Record– Deacon Mark C. Doherty

Summary of Case: Doherty was a seminarian of the Boston archdiocese 1989-1993. Just before his scheduled ordination, two brothers informed the archdiocese that Doherty had molested them when they were 13 and 15 years of age, on a camping trip. In 1994 a woman told the archdiocese she thought Doherty had molested her three boys. Doherty was denied ordination, left Boston and was hired by the Charlotte diocese as a teacher at a Charlotte Catholic High School. The Charlotte bishop knew of the allegations against Doherty, which had been deemed "substantial." Doherty was removed from his teaching position in 2003, due to the past allegations.

     

Start Stop Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes
1977    

Canton

In 1992 two brothers from Canton accused Doherty of having molested them in 1977 on a camping trip to Conway, NH. Doherty was a pharmaceutical salesman at the time.

In 1994 a woman told the archdiocese that she believed that Doherty had molested three of her sons.

MA    

1989

Boston archbishop was Bernard Francis Law (1984-2002).

1993 Blessed John XXIII National Seminary Weston MA seminarian Doherty had been scheduled in 1993 to be ordained in the Boston archdiocese, but Cardinal Law would not allow it, due to the sexual abuse allegations against him.
1993 1997     RI restaurant manager  

1997

Charlotte bishop was William George Curlin (1994-2002), followed by Peter Joseph Jugis (2003- ).

2003 Charlotte Catholic High School Charlotte NC English teacher, religion teacher, athletic trainer

Law informed Charlotte Bishop Curlin about the abuse accusations against Doherty. Curlin nonetheless sought to bring Doherty into his diocese.

Doherty was placed on Administrative Leave February 4, 2003 due to allegations that he had sexually abused young boys while he was a deacon in the archdiocese of Boston. Per the recommendation of Charlotte's diocesan review board, Doherty agreed to leave his teaching position permanently.


Sources:

Crisis in the Church / Diocese of Charlotte, N.C., Deacon Was Hired over Law's Objections, By Matt Carroll, Boston Globe, February 5, 2003
Files: Cardinal Tried to Help Accused Man Get Ordained, By Robin Washington and Tom Mashberg, Boston Herald, February 5, 2003
Diocese Defends Decision to Let Former Seminarian Teach, Statement: Evaluation Said He Posed No Threat, By Ken Garfield and Howie Paul, Charlotte Observer (North Carolina), February 7, 2003
Teacher Fired after Review of Allegations, Diocese Apologizes for 'Breach of Trust', By Howie Paul Hartnett, Ken Garfield, Charlotte Observer (North Carolina), March 6, 2003
Deposition of Cardinal Bernard Law, Offices of Greenberg Traurig, Boston, February 3, 2003
Boston Archdiocesan Documents Showing the Involvement of Bishop Richard G. Lennon in Abuse Cases, BishopAccountability.org, April 2006
Records: State Police Warned Church, Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA), February 5, 2003
Bingo!, Charlotte Diocese Paid Nearly $500k in Abuse Cases, By Tara Servatius, Creative Loafing Charlotte [Charlotte NC], February 20, 2003
Altered by Accusations, Former Charlotte Catholic Teacher Denies Allegations That Ended His Goal of Becoming a Priest, By Ken Garfield, Charlotte Observer (North Carolina), July 19, 2003



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This assignment record collates Doherty's career history 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 Nov. 17, 2010.