Abusive Priest in Boston Pleads Guilty to Multiple Counts of Abuse
A religious order priest from Boston, MA who was first accused of abusing a boy in 2002 pled guilty on Thursday, January 2 to multiple counts of sexual abuse of a child.
We are grateful to the police and prosecutors who pursued this case and were able to secure justice for survivors and protect future children from abuse. Now we call on church officials in Boston to publicize this information among the public and their parishioners so that others who may have been hurt by the priest will be encouraged to come forward, get help, and start healing.
Rev. Randall Gillette of the Passionist order pled guilty to two counts of “unnatural and lascivious acts with a child.” Rev. Gillette was first accused of abuse in a 2002 letter from a man who alleged that Rev. Gillette abused him in 1972 at St. Gabriel’s in Brighton, MA. In August of 2015, Rev. Gillette was again accused of abuse by a man who alleged that he was abused and assaulted by Rev. Gillette from 1971 to 1974 while he was assigned to St. Michael’s Monastery in Union City.
We hope that Rev. Gillette will be given the maximum possible sentence so that future children will not have to suffer further abuse at his hands. We also call on Cardinal Sean O’Malley to publicize the information about Rev. Gillette’s guilty plea in all parish bulletins and websites at every single parish where he ever worked so that other victims who may still be suffering in silence will be encouraged to come forward and make a report to law enforcement.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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