Marist Brothers / Marist Brothers of the Schools – FMS

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Terry McKiernan February 27, 2021

15 Accused in This Religious Order

Br. Xavier Leonard Boulanger

Order: FMS
Status: Settled

Diocese: Archdiocese of Boston MA

In a 2005 civil suit a man alleged that he was abused as a minor by Br. Leonard Xavier, a teacher at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, in 1967-68.The suit involved multiple plaintiffs and named multiple priests as defendants. Attorney Durso said that almost all claims were settled. Br. Leonard died in 1987. His obituary gave his name as "Xavier Leonard Boulanger." Omitted from 2011 Boston AD database. A man in his 60s sued in 5/17, alleging abuse at Central Catholic as a boy by Boulanger and three other Marist brothers. Said he told the principal, but no action.

Assignments:

Marists All – Obituary 08.26.87

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Br. Timothy Brady

Donate Photo

Order: FMS
Status: Convicted

Diocese: Archdiocese of New York NY

Joined the Marists in 1964. Accused of abuse of three boys in 1987. Arrested and charged in 1988. Sentenced to prison. Records were sealed. Still a Marist brother as of 6/10 per their website. Assigned to Marist High School in Chicago at least 1995-2003, where he was, among other roles, hockey club moderator.

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Br. Brendan Brennan

Order: FMS
Status: Sued

Diocese: Archdiocese of Boston MA

Joined the order in 1955, made final vows in 1962. Taught at Marist schools in the Bronx, Poughkeepsie, and Lincolnville NY, Lawrence MA, Eugene OR, and Chicago IL. Accused in a 2023 lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy, age 16, in 1980. Brennan's alleged victim was a student and athlete at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence MA; Brennan was a teacher and the head athletic trainer. Brennan died 10/19/2020 at age 84 in the Bronx, NY.

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Brother Albert

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Order: FMS
Status: Sued

Diocese: Archdiocese of Boston MA

Brother Albert (no last name known) was named in 2005 civil suit as having abused one man at Central Catholic High School, Lawrence, during the years 1969 - 1971 when the accuser was a student and Albert taught there. The suit involved multiple plaintiff

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Br. Damian Galligan

Order: FMS
Status: Settled

Diocese: Archdiocese of New York NY

Marist brother working in the NY archdiocese. In 2013 was retired and living in a MO facility. Accused in a 2009 suit of abusing a boy in NJ for a period of 5 years, 1977-83. Suit filed in federal court in DE since two incidences occurred in 1981 in DE during a trip to Washington DC. Galligan testified in a video deposition that he did abuse the plaintiff and others. Trial held in 11/13. Jury awarded $2.4M against Galligan. Plaintiff did not expect to collect but wanted suit against NY and Order reinstated.

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Br. Lawrence Gordon

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Order: FMS
Status: Convicted

Diocese: Archdiocese of New York NY

Assistant principal of all-boys Mount St. Michael Academy in Bronx. Found to be in possession of child pornography on USB drive in 2/11. D.A. not notified until 3/11. Gordon was arrested, pled guilty and was sentenced, all on the same day in 11/11. Sentenced to treatment for one year at St. Luke's Institute and deferred adjudication. Public not notified of charges until after sentencing.

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Br. Lawrence M. Halsey

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Order: FMS
Status: Sued

Diocese: Archdiocese of Portland OR

Known as Brother Cronin, Halsey is accused in a 2002 civil suit of abusing a teenage girl 1968-72 at Marist high school in Eugene. Another woman also alleged molestation when she was in high school but later withdrew her claim. Halsey left the order, married, and was living in Oregon as of 2002.

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Br. James Barron Holsenbach

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Order: FMS
Status: Accused

Diocese: Archdiocese of Boston MA

Holsenbach, also known as Brother Stanislaus, is accused in complaints made in 2002 of abuse in 1958 and 1960 at Central Catholic High. He was forced to leave the Marist order in 1961, possibly as the result of a disciplinary action involving sexual misconduct. Name is spelled Holsenback in some news reports. Died in 5/06. Omitted from 2011 Boston AD database.

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Br. Vincent Jerome

Order: FMS
Status: Settled

Diocese: Archdiocese of Newark NJ

Associated with Marist Brothers' High School and Roselle Catholic High School. Taught in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Japan. Last known to be living in 2008 at Marist Retirement Residence in Miami, FL. In 4/12 Attorney Mitchell Garabedian announced a recent settlement of at least one claim involving Jerome.

Sources:

Garabedian List via BishopAccountability 04.11.12

Br. Peter Louis

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Order: FMS
Status: Sued

Diocese: Archdiocese of Newark NJ

Named publicly in 11/21 by Attorney Jeff Anderson as accused in a lawsuit filed under the NJ Victims’ Rights Bill.

Sources:

Jeff Anderson and Associates 11.18.21

Br. Edward Michael

Donate Photo

Order: FMS
Status: Accused

Diocese: Archdiocese of Boston MA

Allegation received in 2001 of abuse in 1967 when Michael was teaching at Central Catholic High in Lawrence. He worked at the school 1964-72 and again as a part-time volunteer 1985-86. Removed in 1986 following a complaint by a student of "inappropriate behavior." Died in 1992. No record of complaints in his files but Marist officials acknowledged "it is possible that complaints lodged during those years were not recorded." Omitted from the 2011 Boston AD database. New allegations in 5/17 by a man in his 60s claiming abuse at age 14-15 by Michael and three other Marist brothers at Central Catholic, including Xavier Leonard Boulanger. Said he told the principal, who did nothing but move him out of the alleged perpetrator's algebra class.

Assignments:

BA.org Assignment Record

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Br. Howard Murphy

Order: FMS
Status: Sued

Diocese: Diocese of Rockville Centre NY

Murphy, a teacher and guidance counselor at St. Mary's High School in Manhasset in 1984, was named as a defendant in one of two civil suits filed in 4/03. Suits contain allegations for the first time against 9 priests and brothers. Abuse by Murphy is alleged to have occurred in 1984 during a retreat in upstate New York. Sexual and psychological abuse alleged. Included in 3/21 on the diocese's list of accused.

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Br. Robert Ryan

Order: FMS
Status: Settled

Died: 04/19/2017
Diocese: Archdiocese of Portland OR

Died in 4/17. Accused in a lawsuit filed in 10/27/20 of sexually abusing a boy 1975-77. The boy was a student at Marist High in Eugene OR and Ryan was a vice-principal. His accuser said Ryan also abused other students. Transferred around 1978, per another suit, to Marist High in Chicago IL. This suit was filed in 3/21 by a man alleging abuse as a student in the early 1980s at St. Mary's College Prep in Manhasset, NY, where Ryan was assigned around 1979. The abuse allegedly began when the man was age 13, went on for two years, and included sodomy and plying the boy with drugs and alcohol. Numerous other students were also allegedly abused. Abuse is said to have included sadomasochism. Per the plaintiff, he told the order in the early 1990s, yet Ryan was allowed to continue to work at Camp Marist in NH. The plaintiff received settlements from the school in 1993 and in 2006. The suit seeks to void the earlier settlements, and claims fraud.

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Br. Gregory J. Sutton

Order: FMS
Status: Convicted

Diocese: Archdiocese of St. Louis MO

Principal of a Catholic school in MO. Arrested in 8/95 on charges he molested students in Australia in the 1980s. No accusations in MO. Extradited at the request of Australian officials in 5/96 after several court battles. US officials knew he was wanted in Australia for almost year but did not know he was a school principal. Pled guilty In Australia in 5/96 to numerous charges of abuse between 1976-1987. Sentenced to 18 years in jail on 67 charges against 15 children. As of 5/14, he had been ranked as one of Australia's most-publicized child sex offenders.

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Br. Kenneth Ward

Order: FMS
Status: Sued

Diocese: Archdiocese of Miami FL

Former dean of students at Msgr. Edward Pace High School. Allegations reported to police in 2006; the Archdiocese says it did not learn of them until Fall, 2012. In an 8/2013 civil suit, three men in their mid-20s alleged that Ward abused them in the early 2000s. He worked at Pace 2000-2006. Spent two more years at Christopher Columbus High School in Westchester. A fourth man sued in 9/2013. Left the order in 2008. Got a state license as a registered nurse in 2012. Worked in a psychiatric hospital.

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