Former Bishop has been allowed to move to Catholic retirement home

Springfield Republican ^ | 5/25/10 | Mass Live

[Vermont Lt]

SPRINGFIELD – The elusive Bishop Thomas L. Dupre, former top prelate for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, has backed his former flock into a purgatory of sorts.

[Vermont Lt]

Not much to say. This guy was our Bishop and he up and disappears one day. Rumor had it he was about to be pinned as an abuser. He has been locked up in a "hospital" for the past few years.

[TSgt]

“First, I’d like to know what U.S. law there is that allows the Catholic church to imprison people,” who haven’t been charged with a crime, said diocesan spokesman Mark E. Dupont. Secondly, Dupont said, ancient laws established by the Vatican mandate that no one but the Pope has authority to discipline a Bishop, and those proceedings are secret. Dupre abruptly retired and essentially disappeared after being confronted with molestation accusations in 2004. He was indicted on rape charges the same year by a Hampden County grand jury, but ducked prosecution as the abuse occurred many years earlier and the statute of limitations had run out.

Should read "and those proceedings are non-existent.

[Vermont Lt]

There was a nest of these guys in our area.

I am catholic, and I am a strong supporter of my parish. I think it is a shame that the church (as a whole) has allowed this to continue to fester and ruin the entire diocese. Millions have been spent on insurance payouts, yet the priests that were involved still dodge their responsibility.

Parishes and churches are being closed down. The annual financial drives fall short. Yet, these guys continue to avoid their responsibility.

Part of reconciliation is the accept responsibility and the punishment. Two Hail Mary’s and an Act of Contrition just don’t cut it. Step up and take the heat. Stand before the world and admit your sins. Take responsibility. Stop acting like members of a drug cartel. You will find forgiveness. Just one man can make a huge difference.

These men were monsters that ruined lives. And beyond the young men’s lives they ruined, how many hundreds of lives of people that cannot be helped by the church due to the financial impact of these perverts. And they walk around and pretend piousness.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Won’t say you are wrong, but severe alcoholism and depression are not unknown amongst the Priesthood.

[Vermont Lt]

I know of this guy personally. Really personally. Like family personal.

He is a bad, evil, man.

I understand that sounds extreme when speaking of a man dedicated to the priesthood. But this coven of priests (from Boston to Western MA) protected each other, moved around, and simply abused person after person.

Before I was twenty, I knew three young men that were abused by local priests. These priests worked their way into the families. They sat at Sunday dinner tables (remember when priests were invited to dinner?) And on Saturday night they molested and threatened the boys.

This man knew this was going on. This man, in his position of power, acted in a way that would make the Gambino Crime Family proud. They obfuscated, dodged, lied, and dragged out the process so long the statute of limitations ran out.

We will never know the truth.

Alcoholism and depression are the least of this guys problem. Hopefully the tears and sobs of those young men keep this bastard awake at night. Until he dies.

And then he will have to explain himself.

[markomalley]

Ping for your records

[CholeraJoe]

but severe alcoholism and depression are not unknown amongst the Priesthood.

Residential treatment of either takes a couple of months at most.