On Tuesday, the leader of the Northeast Province (New England, New York, northern New Jersey) of the Society of Jesus released the names of Jesuits in its jurisdiction who, the statement said, “has had a credible allegation of abuse against a minor or vulnerable adult since 1950.”

Said Fr. John J. Cecero, the Jesuit superior who released the list: “At the heart of this crisis is the painful, sinful, and illegal harm done to children by those whom they should have been able to trust. We did not know any best practices to handle these violations many decades ago and regrettably made mistakes along the way. What winds up being a very shameful history for the Church at large was made clear by investigative reporting in Boston in 2002,” a nod to The Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team.

At the boys-only Boston College High School, where Jesuits have taught since the school was founded in the city’s South End in 1863 and, in the early 1950s, relocated to Columbia Point in Dorchester, school president Grace Cotter Regan,
said, “I know that the release of these names must be painful for the individuals and families impacted by these deplorable actions. The Northeast Province’s decision is an important and critical step in our continuing efforts toward a full reconciliation and healing. I hope that the transparency as it relates to these wrongful acts will help us build a stronger and better community.”

The names on the list include 16 Jesuits who served at BC High over the past 70 years. “Each is deceased except for James Talbot, who remains incarcerated for his crimes,” said Regan. “BC High is committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for our students, faculty, and staff. To that end, we continuously review and update our handbooks, policies, procedures, and training in order to ensure that we have proper protocols in place for the confidential reporting of any misconduct.”

Names and assignment dates for the BC High educators follow:

John Acres (’78-’79); William Cahill (’64-’66); Mr. Robert Comigans (’76-’78); William Cullen (’59-’61); Stephen Dawber (’63-’66; ’69-’77; ’90-’02); Joseph Dooley (’34-’36; ’46-‘51; ’58-’80); William Duffy (’32-’44); Francis Ennis (’45-’55); Joseph Laughlin (’52-’54; ’59-’68); George McCabe (’55-’57); Francis McManus (’80-’82); Philip Moriarty (’39-’41; ’53-’62; ’71-’74); Leo Pollard (’41-’44; ’51-’66; ’69-’97); James Sheehan (’73-’86); James Talbot (’72-’80); James Walsh (’57-’59; ’65-’66; ’80-’86; ’87-’93).