Bishop Accountability

Boston Documents: A Selection

The Boston documents give insight into the situation in that archdiocese, and also show what information is still locked in the archives of other dioceses. See the examples in our feature What's in a Diocesan Archive? The documents listed below have been carefully redacted by the lawyers involved, but if you spot a redaction error, please notify us at staff@bishop-accountability.org, and we will take the file down until the error is corrected. The table below, with its thumbnail descriptions of the documents, is the work of BishopAccountability.org staff (see an explanation of the table's format). We will be revising and fine-tuning the table, and we would appreciate any feedback you have. Some of your questions might be answered already in our Frequently Asked Questions. To jump directly to the documents relating to a particular priest, click on his name: Shanley, Birmingham, Buntel, Burns, Coughlin, Finegan, James D. Foley, Forry, Geoghan, Graham, Johnson, Kelley, Lane, Meffan, Morrissette, Murphy, Paquin, Picardi, O'Leary, O'Sullivan, Rebeiro, Rosenkranz, Rynne, Tivnan, Tourigney, and Wilson. By July 2004 we plan to have all the Addendum documents posted here.

A. Paul R. Shanley

Description	From	To	Date	Bates	From	To	Addendum Doc No.
Second known complaint vs Shanley	Fr. Arthur Chabot		1967	RCAB	00001	00003	0001
Letter about Shanley's Rochester talk	Deloris Stevens	Jeanne D. Sweeney	1977-10-04	RCAB	00013	00014	0002
Letter about Shanley's Rochester talk	Jeanne D. Sweeney	Cardinal Humberto Medeiros	1977-11-17	RCAB	00020		0003
Letter on homosexuality, priests & Shanley	Cardinal Humberto Medeiros	Cardinal Seper of CDF	1979-02-12	RCAB	00027	00034	0004
Letter denying accusation in RCAB 00001	Fr. Paul R. Shanley	Chancellor Francis Sexton	1967	RCAB	00046	00048	0005
Letter asking Shanley to comment on Higgs	Fr. John B. McCormack	Fr. Paul R. Shanley	1985-06-04	RCAB	00053		0006
Letter of regret for Higgs' disturbance	Fr. John B. McCormack	Wilma M. Higgs	1985-05-15	RCAB	00056		0007
Letter about Shanley's Rochester talk	Wilma M. Higgs	Cardinal Bernard Law	1985-04-29	RCAB	00058		0008
Report on meeting with Shanley & Rochester talk (handwritten note at bottom of page)	Fr. John B. McCormack	File?	1985-07-25	RCAB	00059		0009
Accusation, Shanley's response, call to victim	Bishop Robert J. Banks	File	1988-03	RCAB	00060		0010
Settlement Agreement involving Shanley			1996-02-18	RCAB	00183	00193	0011
Personal Data Form	Fr. Paul Shanley		1968	RCAB	00326	00329	0012
Letter making Shanley administrator of St. Jean's	Bishop Thomas V. Daily	Fr. Paul R. Shanley	1983-11-04	RCAB	00366		0013
San Bernardino told Shanley is in good standing	Bishop Robert Banks	Fr. Philip Behan	1990-01-16	RCAB	00379		0014
Leo House description	Leo House		1995	RCAB	00511		0015
Memo on Shanley as possible Leo House director	Fr. Brian M. Flatley	Cardinal Bernard Law	1995-09-13	RCAB	00538	00539	0016
Review board report on 2 accusations vs Shanley	RCAB Review Board		1993-12-06	RCAB	00622	00623	0017
Memo on terms of Shanley's leave, with notes	Fr. James J. McCarthy	Fr. John McCormack	1990-02-02	RCAB	00636		0018
Memo on terms of Shanley's leave	Fr. John B. McCormack	Fr. James J. McCarthy	1990-02-06	RCAB	00637		0019
Letter accepting Shanley's resignation from St. Jean's	Cardinal Bernard Law	Fr. Paul R. Shanley	1989-12-07	RCAB	00664	00665	0020
Letter extending Shanley's sick leave	Cardinal Bernard Law	Fr. Paul R. Shanley	1990-12-11	RCAB	00668		0021
Request for medical retirement & weekend supply	Fr. Paul R. Shanley	Fr. John B. McCormack	1990-05-13	RCAB	00707	00710	0022
Letter on Shanley & Medeiros in gay press	Paul J. McGeady	Cardinal Humberto Medeiros	1979-04-02	RCAB	00813		0023
Attachment to RCAB 00813: Shanley vs. Medeiros	John J. Groczak		1979-11-10	RCAB	00763		0024
Attachment to RCAB 00813: Men & Boys	Daniel Tsang		1979-11-12	RCAB	00816	00817	0025
Shanley Assignment Record	Chancery	File	1975	II	0144		0026
Letter about Shanley and NAMBLA meeting	Hugh W. Weston	Cardinal Humberto Medeiros	1983-05-05	II	0669		0027
Letter about Shanley and NAMBLA meeting	Joseph H. Moynihan	Cardinal Humberto Medeiros	1983-07-05	II	0686, 0687	0689	0028
Letter making Shanley pastor of St. Jean's	Cardinal Bernard Law	Fr. Paul R. Shanley	1984-12-11	II	0692		0029
Victim's reply to Helmick's 1986-08-19 response	Bryan Schultz	Cardinal Bernard Law	1986-08-25	DG	0001		0030
Letter of victim on TV series "1986" & church's role	Bryan Schultz	Cardinal Bernard Law	1986-07-10	DG	0002		0031
Affidavit of Daniel [ ]	Daniel [ ]		2003-07-16				0032
Affidavit of Bryan Schultz	Bryan Schultz		2003-07-15				0033
Summary of Schultz accusation	Chancery	File		DG	0233	0234	0034
Letter rebuffing victim's letter (DG-0002)	Fr. William M. Helmick	Bryan Schultz	1986-08-19				0035
Relevant excerpts from deposition	Bishop Robert J. Banks		2002-11-07				0036
Relevant excerpts from deposition	Dr. Edwin H. Cassem		2003-05-20				0037
Relevant excerpts from deposition	Jacqueline Gauvreau		2002-10-25				0038
Relevant excerpts from deposition	Msgr. William H. Helmick		2002-05-22				0039
Relevant excerpts from deposition	Cardinal Bernard Law		2002-06-05				0040
Relevant excerpts from deposition	Fr. James J. McCarthy		2002-09-25				0041
Relevant excerpts from deposition	Fr. Paul R. Shanley		2002-12-09				0042
Responses to requests for admissions	Bishop Thomas V. Daily		2003-01-21				0043
Responses to requests for admissions	Cardinal Bernard Law		2002-05-31				0044
Responses to requests for admissions	Bishop John B. McCormack		2003-01-06				0045

2. Joseph Birmingham

Description	From	To	Date	Bates	From	To	Addendum Doc. No.
Notes on meeting with Birmingham and accusers	Msgr. Thomas J. Finnegan	File	1964-11-04	Birmingham	2.1		0046
Birmingham Assignment Record	Chancery	File	1989	Birmingham	2.33		0047
Letter about rumors and facts regarding Birmingham	Fr. Patrick J. Kelly	Fr. John J. Jennings	1970-01-17	Birmingham	2.5	2.6	0048
Letter calling Birmingham fit to be pastor	Dr. Philip Quinn	Fr. Robert J. Banks	1985-05-16	Birmingham	2.1		0049
Notes on meetings with victim and Birmingham	Bishops Mulcahy & Banks	File	1987-02-12	Birmingham	2.11		0050
Handwritten draft of Birmingham 2.11	Bishops Mulcahy & Banks	File	1987-02-12	Birmingham	2.12	2.14	0051
Institute of Living report	Evelyn Necochea	Fr. John B. McCormack	1987-03-25	Birmingham	2.20	2.21A	0052
Letter asking about Birmingham's assignments	Parishioner of St. Ann's	Cardinal Bernard Law	1987-04-04	Birmingham	2.22	2.23	0053
Evasive response to Birmingham 2.22-23	Fr. John B. McCormack	Parishioner of St. Ann's	1987-04-14	Birmingham	2.25		0054
Handwritten note about Institute of Living expenses	Fr. Joseph Birmingham	Fr. John B. McCormack	1987-05-18	Birmingham	2.26		0055
Notes on discussion with Sr. Grace Kenning		File	1992-10-13	Birmingham	2.43	2.42	0056
Release of All Claims	Victim		1991-03-19	Birmingham	2.50	2.53	0057
Notes on accusations & "space for floats"	Sr. Rita McCarthy	File	1995-07-14	Birmingham	2.88		0058
Notes on accusation and therapy (see B 2.88)	Sr. Rita McCarthy	File	1995-09-11	Birmingham	2.91		0059
Note about meeting victim regarding therapy	Sr. Rita McCarthy?	File	1995-09-26	Birmingham	2.92		0060
Bill for Birmingham's therapy	Dr. John J. Curran	RCAB	1987-10-10	JB	248		0061
Invitation to resolve claim without litigation	Jeffrey E. Rossman	Wilson D. Rogers	1990-11-09	JB	0014	0015	0062
Affidavit	May Elaine (Carrette) McGee		2003-03-10				0063
Affidavit	Beatrice Ciaramitaro		2002-06-20				0064
Affidavit	John Doe 3		2003-07-18				0065
Affidavit	Thomas R. Blanchette		2003-07-18				0066
Relevant excerpts from deposition	Bishop John B. McCormack		2002-06-03				0067
Relevant excerpts from deposition	Cardinal Bernard Law		2002-10-11				0068
Third Amended Complaint, Hogan et al. v. RCAB	Robert A. Sherman		2002-08-05				0069
Notes on meeting (B 2.1 with different redactions)	Msgr. Thomas J. Finnegan	File	1964-11-04	JB	0004		0070
Notes on meetings (B 2.11 with different redactions)	Bishops Mulcahy & Banks	File	1987-02-12	JB	0010		0071

2. Richard Buntel (see also the main Pattern & Practice page, with an essay on Buntel)

Description	From	To	Date	Bates	From	To	Addendum Doc. No.
Buntel Assignment Record	Chancery	File	1994-06-01	Buntel-2	003		0072
Letter requesting transfer [from St. Joseph, Malden]	Fr. Richard A. Buntel	Cardinal Humberto Medeiros	1983-06-24	Buntel-2	036		0073
Memo: Buntel denies problem, Daily offers help	Bishop Thomas V. Daily	Fr. James J. McCarthy	1983-08-01	Buntel-2	041		0074
Letter granting transfer to St. Catherine, Westford	Cardinal Humberto Medeiros	Fr. Richard A. Buntel	1983-08-11	Buntel-2	042		0075
Letter: alcoholism, drugs, & homosexual activity	Bishop John M. D'Arcy	Bishop Thomas V. Daily	1983-11-01	Buntel-2	046	047	0076
Reply: Buntel has denied, Daily will confront again	Bishop Thomas V. Daily	Bishop John M. D'Arcy	1983-11-03	Buntel-2	048		0077
Letter setting up appointment to meet	Bishop Thomas V. Daily	Fr. Richard A. Buntel	1983-11-16	Buntel-2	050		0078
Letter on Buntel's denial and wish to see D'Arcy	Bishop Thomas V. Daily	Bishop John M. D'Arcy	1983-11-28	Buntel-2	051		0079
Letter reporting that Buntel has not contacted D'Arcy	Bishop John M. D'Arcy	Bishop Thomas V. Daily	1983-12-21	Buntel-2	053		0080
Memo on parishioner's concerns regarding Buntel	Msgr. Frederick J. Ryan	Bishop Thomas V. Daily	1984-04-27	Buntel-2	054	055	0081
Letter: Did not get job at Christ the King, Hudson	Fr. James J. McCarthy	Fr. Richard A. Buntel	1988-11-05	Buntel-2	063		0082
Letter: Did not get job at St. Joseph, Pepperell	Fr. James J. McCarthy	Fr. Richard A. Buntel	1992-11-24	Buntel-2	073		0083
Letter: Did not get job at St. Richard, Danvers	Fr. James J. McCarthy	Fr. Richard A. Buntel	1993-07-23	Buntel-2	085		0084
Letter: No job at Our Lady Help of Christians, Concord	Fr. Kevin J. Deeley	Fr. Richard A. Buntel	1993-08-27	Buntel-2	086		0085
Letter: No job at Immaculate Conception, Winchester	Fr. Kevin J. Deeley	Fr. Richard A. Buntel	1994-02-04	Buntel-2	091		0086
Notes on victim and Buntel's sex and drug use	Bishop John B. McCormack	File	1994-02-04	Buntel-2	092		0087
Report on Buntel's response to complaints		File	1994-02-28	Buntel-2	103	104	0088
Draft of parish announcement on Buntel's leave		File	1994-02-28	Buntel-2	109		0089
Draft of parish announcement on Buntel's leave		File	1994-02-28	Buntel-2	110		0090
Letter placing Buntel on administrative leave	Cardinal Bernard Law	Fr. Richard A. Buntel	1994-02-25	Buntel-2	102		0091
Complaint in Eisenberg v. RCAB and Law	Robert A. Sherman		2002-09-16				0092

3. Robert Burns (documents from Addendum)

Description	From	To	Date	Bates	From	To	Addendum Doc. No.
Notes on Burns "problem: little children"	Fr. Gilbert S. Phinn	File	1982-10-18	Burns2	011		0093
Notes: Daily's reservations, bring to Medeiros	Fr. Gilbert S. Phinn	File	1982-10-18	Burns2	018		0094
Notes: Hughes, Medeiros on placement	Fr. Gilbert S. Phinn	File	1982-10-27	Burns2	027		0095
Letter placing Burns at St. Thomas Aquinas, JP	Cardinal Humberto Medeiros	Fr. John E. Thomas	1982-11-08	Burns2	038		0096
Letter placing Burns at St. Mary, Charlestown	Cardinal Bernard Law	Fr. James B. Canniff	1986-06-24	Burns2	052		0097
Report on abuse complaint	Fr. John B. McCormack	File	1991-03-18	Burns2	054*		0098
Draft press statement on civil suit alleging abuse		File	1992-02-05	Burns2	077		0099
Draft press statement on civil suit alleging abuse		File	1992-02-05	Burns2	078		0100
Request that Burns be laicized	Cardinal Bernard Law	Cardinal Angelo Sodano	1999-04-29	Burns2	288		0101
Memo supporting Burns2 288 and attached to it	Delegate	Cardinal Angelo Sodano	1999-05	Burns2	290		0102
Relevant excerpt from deposition	Cardinal Bernard Law						0103

3A. Robert Burns (documents from GT Press Kit, December 4, 2002)

Description	From	To	Date	Bates	From	To	Press Kit Pg. No.
Letter ending appointment at St. Thomas Aquinas, JP	Cardinal Bernard Law	Fr. John E. Thomas	1986-06-24	Burns2	051		8
Letter ending appointment at St. Mary, Charlestown	Cardinal Bernard Law	Fr. James B. Canniff	1991-04-16	Burns2	057		10
Memo sending 2 reports of conversations about abuse	Fr. John B. McCormack	Wilson Rogers	1991-04-26	Burns2	058		11
Parish statement on disposition of case against Burns	Chancery		1996-03-07	Burns2	145		12
Memo on call from victim	Fr. Brian M. Flatley	File	1996-03-21	Burns2	156		13
Memo on Burns: potential publicity	Fr. William F. Murphy	Bishop William F. Murphy	1998-09-10	Burns2	250		14
Affidavit	Bishop James W. Malone		1999-03-04	Burns2	273	275	1

4. Richard T. Coughlin

Description	From	To	Date	Bates	From	To	Addendum Doc. No.
Notes on Coughlin and meeting with David Coleman	Fr. John B. McCormack	File	1985-11-30	Coughlin	1		0104
Typed notes on Coughlin and meeting with Coleman	Fr. John B. McCormack	File	1985-11-30	Coughlin	2		0105
Living on a 'fault' line	David Coleman	Fr. John B. McCormack	1992-12-16	Coughlin	3	6	0106
Assignment Record	Chancery	File	1971-02-19	Coughlin	16		0107
Note about 1985-11-30 meeting with Coleman	Fr. John B. McCormack	Bishop Robert J. Banks	1985-12-03	Coughlin	20		0108
Report about call from David Coleman	Sr. Catherine Mulkerrin	Fr. John B. McCormack	1992-11-19	Coughlin	23		0109
Phone message	Msgr. John Urell	Fr. John B. McCormack	1992-12-21	Coughlin	31		0110
Phone message	Msgr. John Urell	Fr. John B. McCormack	1992-12-28	Coughlin	32		0111
Notes mulling over 1985 meeting with Coleman	Fr. John B. McCormack	File	1992-12-?	Coughlin	33	34	0112
Notes on Franklin and possible Globe article	Fr. John B. McCormack	File	1993-01-?	Coughlin	35	39	0113
Note on phone message	Fr. John B. McCormack	File	1993-01-04	Coughlin	40		0114
Draft press release	John B. Walsh	Fr. John B. McCormack	1993-02-12	Coughlin	41	42	0115
Story: Chorus Leader Resigns (Orange CA)	Catholic News Service		1993-02-12	Coughlin	43		0116
Letter rejecting demand and offering possible therapy	Wilson D. Rogers, Jr.	Jeffrey Newman	1993-03-25	Coughlin	44	45	0117
Phone message		Fr. John B. McCormack	1993-03-26	Coughlin	46		0118
Notes on reporters' questions	Fr. John B. McCormack	File	1993-03-?	Coughlin	47		0119
Globe: Man says aide to cardinal let abuse claim &	James L. Franklin		1993-03-31	Coughlin	49	50	0120
Notes on finding record of 1985 meeting	Fr. John B. McCormack	File	1993-04-?	Coughlin	52		0121
Press statement on finding record of 1985 meeting	John B. Walsh	Media	1993-04-02	Coughlin	54		0122
Notes about call with Msgr. John Urell	Fr. John B. McCormack	File	1992-12-?	Coughlin	56		0123
"A Very Painful Issue"	Pilot Editorial		1993-04-02	Coughlin	58		0124
Notes about call with Msgr. John Urell	Fr. John B. McCormack	File	1992-12-18	Coughlin	157		0125
Affidavit	David Coleman		1993-07-18				0126

5. Paul J. Finegan

Description	From	To	Date	Bates	From	To	Addendum Doc. No.
Letter announcing transfer to St. Margaret, Lowell	Cardinal Bernard Law	Fr. Paul J. Finegan	1987-05-26	Finnegan-2	095		0127
Letter responding to allegation	Fr. Gilbert S. Phinn	Author of Finnegan-2-121-123	1980-10-?	Finnegan-2	106		0128
Letter responding to Finnegan-2-106	Author of Finnegan-2-121-123	Fr. Gilbert S. Phinn	1980-10-18	Finnegan-2	107	108	0129
Letter responding to Finnegan-2-107-108	Fr. Gilbert S. Phinn	Author of Finnegan-2-121-123	1980-11-05	Finnegan-2	109	110	0130
Note about phone call	Fr. Gilbert S. Phinn	File	1980-?	Finnegan-2	111		0131
Note about phone call and alleged resolution	Fr. Gilbert S. Phinn	File	1980-?	Finnegan-2	112		0132
Letter describing abuse	Victim (sister of addressee)	Author of Finnegan-2-121-123	1980-10-?	Finnegan-2	115	120	0133
Letter alleging abuse of sister	Sister of victim	Fr. Gilbert S. Phinn	1980-10-12	Finnegan-2	121	123	0134
Letter announcing transfer to St. Michael, N. Andover	Cardinal Humberto Medeiros	Fr. Paul J. Finegan	1975-05-21	Finnegan-2	313		0135
Transfer (duplicate of Finegan-2-095)	Cardinal Bernard Law	Fr. Paul J. Finegan	1987-05-26	Finnegan-2	312		0136
Personnel Record			1970-05-23	Finnegan-2	315		0137
Affidavit	Author of Finnegan-2-121-123		2003-07-15				0138
First Amended Complaint	Jeffrey A. Newman		2002-11-26				0139

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