Former Michigan Catholic priest has pleaded guilty again to sex crimes involving children
Gary Berthiaume, 79, who was accused of sexually assaulting three teenage boys in the 1970s, took pleas on Monday to a trio of charges and now likely faces as long as 15 years in prison. The Michigan Attorney General’s office said the former Catholic priest agreed to plead guilty to two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and also pleaded no contest to one count of gross indecency.
Berthiaume was originally charged last year with assaulting a 14-year-old boy in 1977. In June, AG Dana Nessel’s office added two more charges after more victims came forward with accusations against the former priest. At the time of the assaults, Berthiaume worked as a priest at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wyandotte and then later at Our Lady of Sorrows in Farmington.
What is most disturbing to us about this case and what should be of the utmost concern to churchgoers is that this was not Berthiaume’s first time in front of a judge. According to the watchdog group BishopAccountability, Berthiaume was convicted of abusing two children in Detroit in 1978, served six months in jail, and then, incomprehensibly, was transferred by the Catholic Church to the Cleveland Diocese where he predictably offended again.
We loudly applaud the work and the convictions that have resulted from the Michigan Attorney General’s office investigation into sex abuse by Catholic clergy. Secular investigations are the most effective and indeed probably the only way to provide a small measure of justice for abuse that has been going on unabated for decades. These deep-dive inquiries also show the systemic cover-up by Church officials. No one knew more about these crimes, and no one did less to protect children, than the Catholic dioceses and religious institutions themselves.
The Michigan AG’s office also issued a statement and update on its clergy abuse investigation. A staggering half a million documents remain to be reviewed. We are confident the remaining files will unearth even more secrets that have been hidden for years and we hope they will lead to more justice being served against those who perpetrated and enabled these crimes. We encourage anyone who has been a victim of abuse by clergy, nuns, brothers, lay employees or volunteers in the Catholic Church in Michigan to provide that information to the investigative team. Reports can be made to the AG's website or by calling 844-324-3374.
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
Showing 1 comment