Two priests, one in Andover and one in Philadelphia, have been placed on administrative leave by the Boston and Philadelphia Archdioceses following allegations they sexually abused a Massachusetts man when he was a child almost three decades ago.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Archdiocese of Boston said Rev. Peter Gori, the pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Andover, was placed on leave following allegations he sexually abused a 10-year-old in 1990. The 28-year-old allegations will be investigated by the Augustine Order of St. Thomas of Villanova, based in Pennsylvania.
“The Archdiocese of Boston is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and young people in our parishes and institutions,” the statement read, adding that law enforcement was contacted once the allegations came forward.
The alleged victim is represented by Mitchell Garabedian, a Boston attorney well known for representing victims of sexual abuse. Garabedian said Tuesday his client also alleges years of sexual abuse by Fr. William Waters, the current pastor of St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Philadelphia, between the years 1987 and 1990, during which time Waters was working at St. Augustine’s Church in Lawrence, Mass. The alleged victim was between 8 and 10 years old.
In a statement to WGBH News, a spokesperson for Philadelphia Archdiocese said Waters denies the allegation and has "voluntarily stepped aside as pastor pending the outcome of this matter."
“The Archdiocese has placed him on administrative leave pending the outcome,” spokesperson Ken Gavin stated. “While on administrative leave he will not be able to function publicly as priest and will have no access to parish or school facilities.”
"No allegations of this kind have been lodged against Father Waters previously," the statement read.
Garabedian said he wants to know how Gori and Waters were able to interact with children for so many years under the watch of the Boston Archdiocese.
“Why didn't the archbishop do an appropriate background check on these two alleged perpetrating priest so that children will be kept safe?” Garabedian said. “That question has to be answered.”
Prior to Tuesday, Gori was on the board of the St. Augustine School in Andover, where he has been a pastor since 2009. His biography on the school website says he was assigned there from 1988 to 1993, during the years of the alleged abuse. The website also states he has lived and worked in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., New York and Rome.
Gori and the administration of the St. Augustine School did not respond to requests for comment.
Garabedian, whose firm has represented over 1,000 survivors of clergy sexual abuse mostly in Massachusetts over the last 25 years, said many of his clients take years to process trauma.
“Victims cannot emotionally handle it at a younger age. Many victims cut themselves, or put cigarette butts are on their arms. They're transferring pain and they can't cope,” he said. “Waiting until they’re in their 40s or 50s is common.”
Garabedian said he was not surprised that victims are coming forward after decades of silence.
“We're starting to see the victims of clergy sexual abuse victims who were abused in the late 80s and the 90s coming forward,” he said. “We're going to see a wave of them now because they're starting to mature.”
