3 Accused in This Religious Order
Fr. James Burson
From Nova Scotia. Ordained for the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (Eudists). First named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Buffalo in 11/2018. A man reported in 2018 that he was molested by Burson as a Cardinal Dougherty High School student in 1979. Burson was librarian and vocations director at the school 1973-1979.There were multiple incidents, per the man's attorney. In residence at a Eudist facility in Lakeview NY 1980-1981, affiliated with St. John's parish in Buffalo in 1983, assigned to parishes in the Lafayette LA diocese 1984-1994. Moved in 1996 to San Diego CA, assigned to a parish and chaplain at three hospitals. Retired 7/1/2009. In residence at St. Patrick's in Carlsbad until moving to a "board and care facility" in 2017. Included on the Buffalo diocese's list updated 11/5/2018. Lawsuit filed 8/2019.
Fr. Louis Selmo
Named publicly as accused on the Los Angeles Archdiocese's updated list 12/6/2018, which notes a report to Archdiocese in 2014 of incident(s) around 1982. Selmo died in 2005.
Fr. Edward R. Townsend
Taught at Cardinal Dougherty High School 1963-1969. Was previously at Eudist College in Montreal, Canada. Per his brother's 1992 obituary, Townsend was living in Ottawa. He died in 1998. A man stated publicly in 3/2018 that Townsend sexually abused him over 5 years in the 1960s, starting when he was age 5. He said he reported the abuse to the Diocese in 2006. A second man told a news outlet in 3/2018 that Townsend also sexually abused him, at ages 7 and 8. In 2008 the Diocese of Manchester NH received a report that Townsend sexually abused a child, ages 6 and 7, in a rectory parking lot in Farmington NH in Fall 1975 through early 1977. The Diocese said he did not serve there. Lawsuit in 8/2019 claimed abuse of a boy, ages 8-11, 1963-1967 in Buffalo.