BOSTON, Mass., Oct. 27 2026―More than 20 years after the exposé in the The Boston Globe Spotlight series on clerical child sex abuse, the recent report from Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office shows that some of the worst abuses continue. Although the report on the Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester dioceses primarily covered past abuses, at least one recent case was referred for prosecution. Its details illustrate how in some dioceses very little has changed, including the candidate selection and seminary training that have produced abusive priests.
In the current case, Bishop Robert McManus of the Diocese of Worcester, in response to credible reports about abuse by Fr. Alan Martineau, planned to quietly move the priest to another parish, where he would have continued to have access to children. The bishop took action to remove Fr. Martineau only when complaints of abuse mounted. We applaud the action of BishopAccountability in submitting a Vos Estis Lux Mundi report concerning Bishop McManus’s handling of that matter. The Catholic Church since 2002 has established mandated practices that support accountability for bishops—such as Bishop McManus—and priests who violate norms for protection of children. We hope the petition by BishopAccountability will bring action soon.
But there is one area of church life that contributes to the problem of clergy sex abuse and that has yet
to undergo significant reform: the formation of seminarians. This issue was addressed in the 2011 John Jay report “The Cause and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the US, 1950-2010.” Researchers found that most abusing priests were trained in 10 seminaries. Unfortunately, the report did not publish the names of those seminaries, making it difficult to determine when and where the formation took place.
Moreover, the story of the Fr. Martineau’s preparation for priesthood suggests that this is not just a U.S. story. He studied at Assumption College in Worcester MA and at the Theological College at The Catholic University in Washington DC and then studied Canon Law at Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. His history suggests that the problems with priestly formation are widespread and are found in local diocesan seminaries, in those operated by religious orders, and even at prestigious institutions like the Pontifical North American College. The recently published report from the Church’s Synod Study Group 4 has at least outlined principles and guidelines for revising seminary formation. But it’s still a long way from implementation.
Selection and training of seminarians is a significant contributing factor in clergy sex abuse, and we cannot properly address the problem without addressing seminary training.
Contact Margaret Roylance (781-559-3360)
Voice of the Faithful®: Voice of the Faithful® is a worldwide movement of faithful Roman Catholics working to support survivors of clergy sexual abuse, support priests of integrity and increase the laity’s role in the governance and guidance of the Church. More information is at www.votf.org