Men accusing Bishop Dupre of abuse talk to prosecutors

Published: 2004-02-27

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (CNS) -- Two men who alleged that they were abused by retired Springfield Bishop Thomas L. Dupre have indirectly told their stories to the public through their attorney, and directly talked to a prosecutor in late February. By late Feb. 26, a preliminary church investigation of the charges against the bishop was also under way. According to the "Statement of Episcopal Commitment" adopted by the U.S. bishops in relation to their "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," the head of the ecclesiastical province is informed of allegations of abuse against a bishop in his province. For the Diocese of Springfield, that is Boston Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley. However, the actual investigation is conducted by the Vatican itself, according to a Feb. 26 statement by the diocese. Mark E. Dupont, spokesman for the diocese, told The Catholic Observer, Springfield diocesan newspaper, that a meeting between at least one of the alleged victims and Boston archdiocesan victim advocate Barbara Thorpe was to take place Feb. 27. Springfield's victims' advocate Laura Failla Reilly also was invited to attend the meeting, designed to allow the victims to "tell their stories" to the church.

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