Brothers of the Sacred Heart – SC – BishopAccountability.org

15 Accused in this Religious Order

Br. Adrian/Fr. Albert J. Morel

Order: SC
Status: Accused

Died: 3/15/1998
Diocese: Diocese of Manchester NH

Entered the Brothers of the Sacred Heart order in 1945 in RI; took the name Br. Adrian. Ordained to the priesthood in 1972. Principal and Director of Sacred Heart Academy in Central Falls RI; Director of Novices; Provincial Councillor and delegate to the order's 1968-1978 General Chapter at Rome, Italy. Taught at the order's schools in Sharon MA, Andover MA, Fitchburg MA, Woonsocket RI, Lewiston ME. Teacher, chaplain, and counselor at Bishop Guertin High School in NH. A former student alleged that in 1981 (after he graduated) that he went to Morel for counseling because of a sexual problem and that Morel told him to unzip his pants, then fondled him. The former student said he left but that next time he saw Morel, Morel hugged him and told him he loved him. The man then wrote a letter to the head brother at Bishop Guertin. Morel died in 3/1998.

Assignments:

BA.org Assignment Record

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Br. Guy Beaulieu

Order: SC
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of Manchester NH

Admitted to molesting at least 20 students over a 20-year period at Bishop Guertin High School and at Camp Fatima in New Hampshire. Beaulieu also admitted to sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy at Sacred Heart Prep School in Harrisville, Rhode Island in 1971. The matter was reported at the time to then-principal Leo Labbe – later also accused of child rape – and then-Provincial Superior Ronald Dupuis. Beaulieu was transferred to a Sacred Heart Brothers' retirement home in Rhode Island in 1990. Complaints were made to school officials in the 1970s and 1990s. Claims were included in 11/2002, 8/2003 and 5/2004 settlements.

Br. Leo R. Labbe

Order: SC
Status: Settled

Diocese: Archdiocese of Boston MA

Took first vows as a Brother of the Sacred Heart in 1959, final vows in 1965. Taught in Andover and Fitchburg MA, was headmaster of Sacred Heart Prep in Pascoag RI, then was in the guidance department 1974-1984 at Mt. St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket RI. Labbe was his order's New England Provincial 1985-1991, then lead Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua NH 1991-2004. From 2004-2008 he was foreign mission develpment director in St. Albans, England. He retired to Pascoag RI in 2008. In a lawsuit filed in 11/2002, Labbe was accused of forcing an 11-year-old boy to perform oral sex on him in 1960-1961, at Sacred Heart Academy in Andover, MA. Labbe was head of Bishop Guertin High School in NH when the lawsuit was filed. Per the suit, Labbe, then known as Bro. Gerald, abused the boy on several occasions. Labbe denied the allegations but placed himself on administrative leave. The case settled in 5/2004. Labbe was also accused of not reporting numerous abusers at Bishop Guertin. Omitted from the Boston archdiocese's 2011 database. Celebrated his 60th anniversary of entering the order in 9/2019.

Assignments:

BA.org Assignment Record

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Br. Leon Cyr

Order: SC
Status: Accused

Died: 7/19/2021
Diocese: Diocese of Manchester NH

Joined the Brothers of the Sacred Heart in CT in 1952. Professed first vows in 1955 in CT and his final vows in 1961 at Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket RI. Taught at Mount St. Charles Academy, at St. Louis School and Bishop Guertin High School in NH, and at St. Andre School in ME. Retired from teaching in 1995 and became the order's Director of Vocations and Provincial Archivist. Lived for 26 years until his death in 2021 in Pascoag RI, at the order's retirement resident. In 4/2003 a man alleged that he was sexually abused in the early 1980s by Br. Cyr, when the man was a student at Bishop Guertin High School. Cyr denied the allegation. The attorney for four plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit against the school and the order, alleging abuse. One man (not the original complainant) alleged abuse by Cyr multiple times from 1981 to 1983. The suit was still pending in 2004.

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Br. Louis Laperle

Order: SC
Status: Acquitted

Died: 10/7/2021
Diocese: Diocese of Worcester MA

"Br. Philip." A man alleged in 2003 that he was molested by Laperle in 1968 when Laperle was teacher and/or principal at Notre Dame Academy in Fitchburg MA and the man was a student. Laperle left MA in 1969 for RI and never returned. In 4/2004, Laperle was acquitted by a jury of charges of assault and battery involving the boy in 1968. The alleged incident actually involved indecent assault and battery but that charge did not exist in 1968, so it could not be used. Laperle retired after his acquittal. He died in 10/2021.

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Br. Nicholas Paul Bendillo

Order: SC
Status: Convicted

Diocese: Archdiocese of Mobile AL

Known as "Br. Vic." Taught at McGill-Toolen High School in Mobile 1959-1998. Complaint received in 1998. Placed on leave. Received treatment. Arrested in 4/2003. Convicted. Sentenced in 2004 to five years in prison. Multiple plaintiffs with allegations going back to 1963. Civil suit filed in 2003 by two men. Settled in 2004. Two more suits filed in 5/2004. Released from prison hospital 7/04/2007 at age 78. Sent to MO for treatment. On AL and MO sex offender registries. On Mobile archdiocese's list 12/6/2018. Noted to be deceased. On Jackson diocese's list 3/19/2019.

Br. Paul L. Gauvin

Order: SC
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Portland ME

Entered the order in 1958. Referred to as "Br. Camillus" until returning to his given name in 1965. In 12/2012 the Diocese announced a substantiated claim against Gauvin of the sexual abuse of a minor, age 11-12, occurring in the early 1970s. Assigned at the time of the alleged abuse as director of religious education at St. Thomas Aquinas in Madawaska. Gauvin apparently left Maine in 1994 when the order left. He was working as director of liturgy at Sacred Heart parish in Bloomfield CT in 2012 when placed under supervision without contact with minors. Gauvin died 11/22/2024 in Providence RI.

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Br. Peter Claver

Order: SC
Status: Settled

Died: 4/20/1975
Diocese: Diocese of Providence RI

Professed final vows in 1923. Worked as a teacher and administrator in schools of the Sacred Heart Brothers in New England and Canada. Became superior of Sacred Heart School in Andover, MA in 1970. Died in 4/1975. In 4/2012, attorney Mitchell Garabedian announced the settlement of at least one claim regarding Claver, of abuse at a school in Rhode Island.

Assignments:

BA.org Assignment Record

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Br. Ralph McGarry

Order: SC
Status: Accused

Diocese: Archdiocese of Mobile AL

Named publicly as accused on the Archdiocese of Mobile's list 12/6/2018. 'Misconduct' noted to have occurred 1960-1961. No indication as to where. Assigned at some point in the archdiocese to the Catholic Boys Home. Deceased.

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Br. Regis Moccia

Donate Photo

Order: SC
Status: Sued

Died: 6/28/2002
Diocese: Diocese of Metuchen NJ

Accused in a lawsuit filed in 9/2020 of sexually abusing a boy, ages 13-14, in about 1994-1995. The alleged victim was a student at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen. Accused in a 2021 lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy, ages 14-15, during 1981-1982, while assigned to St. Joseph's High. Moccia died 6/28/2002.

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Br. Roger G. Argencourt

Order: SC
Status: Settled

Died: 9/23/2002
Diocese: Diocese of Manchester NH

Also known as Br. Odillon. Professed first vows in 1959 and final vows in 1965 in Woonsocket RI. Taught in Woonsocket at Mount St. Charles Academy and at Sacred Heart Juniorate in Pascoag RI, and at schools in MA and VT. Did missionary work in the 1960s and 1980s in Zambia, Central Africa. Placed on leave from Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua NH in 1/2002 due to allegations of sexual abuse, including rape, of students occurring in the 1970s. One former student said that another religious brother walked in on abuse as it was happening but did nothing. Sued in 4/2002 for sexual abuse in 1973-1974 at Bishop Guertin; Argencourt was a teacher and activities director. He said that in 1978 he disclosed his abuse of students to counselors in Hudson NH and in NM. A second suit was filed at a later date. In 6/2002 Argencourt was in treatment at St. Luke Institute in MD. Authorities in RI were preparing to file criminal charges for abuse of a boy at Mount Saint Charles Academy in 1985 and 1986 when Argencourt died in 9/2002. One case settled in 11/2003. Included in the 3/4/2026 RI Attorney General's Report.

Br. Shawn McEnany

Order: SC
Status: Guilty plea

Died: 7/14/2017
Diocese: Diocese of Portland ME

Pleaded guilty in 1988 to unlawful sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl, who was a student at a Lewiston ME High School. Received two one-year suspended sentences and one year probation. Hired in 1990 to work at Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua, NH. The Order thought it was okay since it was a boys school and he abused a girl. Placed on leave in 1997; charged with violating a state law that bars sex offenders from working with children and for failing to register as a sex offender. Charges dropped in 1999. Moved to RI, became a social worker. Named in the Maine Attorney General's 2004 Report. Died in 2017. Accused in a 5/2018 lawsuit of sexually assaulting a girl at Bishop Guertin High School in 1995. Hearing set for 9/21/2020. Lawsuit awaiting trial in 5/2025.

Br. William Leimbach

Order: SC
Status: Sued

Died: 2/7/2025
Diocese: Diocese of Jackson MS

Accused in a civil suit filed in 7/2007 in federal court of sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy in 1983-1984 at Saint Stanislaus College/Saint Stanislaus High School. The school was run by the Sacred Heart Order. Leimbach was removed from ministry with students in 1991 after complaints by two students; he was allowed to continue work with adults and within the order. He was living since 2005 in Burrillville, RI. He died 2/7/2025.

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Brother Regis

Donate Photo

Order: SC
Status: Sued

Diocese: Archdiocese of Boston MA

A man filed a civil lawsuit in 3/2011 alleging that Br. Regis, also known as Raymond Richard, sexually abused him for several months when he was a 7th grader at Sacred Heart Boarding School in Sharon, MA in the 1950s. The man said he told a priest during confession at the school and was then confronted by the priest, Regis, and the school director. When he returned from Easter break, Regis was gone. The suit was announced in 11/2011. The school had been closed for many years. Regis is deceased.

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Fr. John D. Spaulding

Order: SC
Ordained: 1971
Status: Indicted

Died: 2/25/2020
Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix AZ

"Jack." Removed without faculties in 6/2011 when accused of sexual misconduct with a minor in the mid-1980s at St. Maria Goretti in Scottsdale. The diocese's review board found the allegation credible. The county attorney did not investigate because the alleged victim was deceased. A second man filed a complaint in 8/2011; no prosecution due to the statute of limitations. Two more accusers came forward. The father of the original victim filed suit in 6/2012; dismissed. A special tribunal in Rome in 1/2014 recommended laicization. In 6/2019 a man alleged that Spaulding sexually abused him as a boy. Included in 1/2019 on the Diocese's list of accused. Indicted in 1/2020 related to allegations that he sexually abused two boys under age 15 2003-2007, while assigned to St. Gabriel's in Phoenix and St. Timothy's in Mesa. Per Spaulding's attorney in 2/2020, the priest was too ill to appear in court for his arraignment. Rescheduled for 3/6/2020, but Spaulding died 2/25/2020.

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Diocese of Phoenix Community Notification Statements 10.15.12

Brothers of the Sacred Heart – SC

15 Accused in this Religious Order

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