A deceased Catholic priest from Vermont is accused of sexually abusing a child; SNAP asks for his personnel file
A long-dead Catholic clergyman from the Diocese of Burlington has been accused of sexually abusing a young boy in the 1960s. We commend the victim, who is now in his 60’s and wishes to remain anonymous, for having the courage and strength to come forward after carrying this heavy burden for so long.
Fr. Roger Carlin died in 1980. The accusations stem from between 1966 and 1967 when the survivor was 9 years of age. The cleric was assigned to St. John Vianney Church in South Burlington at the time.
The Burlington Diocese claimed that this was the first allegation it has received concerning Fr. Carlin. The Diocese further said, "On receipt of the allegation, Fr. Carlin’s diocesan file was reviewed by a member of the independent review committee which confirms there is no prior allegation as to Fr. Carlin.”
However, Fr. Carlin was apparently transferred eight times during his career. Survivor advocate Bob Hoatson pointed out that “13 years of his 20 years as a priest [was] either outside the diocese, on sick leave, in Canada. So somewhere along the line something happened.”
We share Bob's belief that the frequent transfers and sick leaves are suspicious, and we echo his request for the Diocese of Burlington to release all the personnel files related to Fr. Carlin.
By our account, this marks the 27th Catholic priest accused of abuse this year in the United States, and the 50th abusive clergyman tied to the Diocese of Burlington, 10 more than the 40 acknowledged by the Diocese.
We encourage anyone who has suffered sexual abuse or who has information regarding abuse to report to law enforcement. Secular investigations have proven to consistently reveal more information than what any Catholic official is willing to volunteer.
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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