3 Accused in this Religious Order
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. A lawsuit in 8/2019 claimed abuse of a boy, ages 8-11, 1963-1967 in Buffalo.
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. Burson died 8/25/2020.
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.