The Diocese of Worcester by its own admission claims that 45 of its priests molested children in the years since the Diocese was created more than 50 years ago. For a good amount of that time, John J. Conte was District Attorney and was the chief law enforcement officer for Central Massachusetts, which encompasses the geographical limits of the diocese.

Yet, only a handful of these priests, who had violated young children and teenagers, were ever prosecuted. Those who were prosecuted got off with lenient sentences and generally were allowed to make plea bargains favorable to the priests. Where was the District Attorney when all this was going on?

He cut a deal in 2002 with the Diocese of Worcester that resulted in information being withheld from the public. The District Attorney, working with the diocesan-appointed liaison to the District Attorney, Monsignor Thomas Sullivan, came up with the idea of getting all information from the Diocese under what Mr. Conte called a Grand Jury subpoena. This maneuver allowed all the information on abusive priests to be kept secret from the public because a Grand Jury subpoena ensures that secrecy. Monsignor Sullivan, whose father worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, certainly must have known the ramifications. Many in Central Massachusetts were erroneously led to believe that a Grand Jury was meeting to investigation clergy sexual abuse, but this proved to be false.

April 30, 2007

Former DA Conte to be “HONORED” BY Bishop McManus

Next Sunday at the annual BLUE MASS, former District Attorney John J. Conte will be honored.

According to the article in the Catholic Free Press, this honor was based on his thirty year tenure in office.  

No doubt the Worcester Dioceses would seek out to display their appreciation for the former District Attorney. During John Conte’s thirty year tenure he failed to secure grand jury indictments, provided special treatment for accused Priest, and did not gain convictions in trials.  Financially DA Conte supported the dioceses with donations from his political campaign fund.  In addition during the height of the clergy abuse scandal in 2002 he communicated details concerning clergy abuse victims with the Monsignor Thomas Sullivan, Worcester Dioceses liaison to the District Attorney's office.

Former DA Conte during the height of the clergy sexual abuse scandal in 2002 protected the Worcester Diocese by the means of what DA Conte called the issuing of a “grand jury subpoena” for records of Priest who had been accused of sexually abusing of minors.

No Grand Jury was however connived and this move by John Conte allowed his office to protect the names of Diocesan Priest who had faced allegations of sexual abused children.  Instead of sending his Auburn Massachusetts State Police C-Pac detectives to recover records without prior notification, John Conte instead allowed the records to be delivered to the DA’s office by the Dioceses.  

John Conte in addition over his tenure made numerous donations to the Worcester Dioceses Bishop Fund from his Political campaign fund, and continued this process during the clergy abuse crisis.  John Conte’s donations helped to pay for legal defense of Diocesan Priest who had been sexually abused minors.

In the case involving allegation of sexual abuse of minor concerning Father Raymond Messier, the Department of Social Service “supported” the allegations. When the allegations were forwarded to the Worcester District Attorney office, a grand jury, who was presented evidence from the District Attorney’s office, returned a “no bill”. This allowed Father Messier to elude criminal prosecution.  

Just this past week the case of Rev. John J Szantyr who was arraigned on with four criminal charges of indecent A&B on a child under 14 in 2003, involving two male victims has again been continued for the 32nd time according to the court docket.

Rev Szantyr only condition of release was to stay away from the victims. In addition the district attorney office’s was contacted by several other men who alleged they were also sexually abuse by this Priest.

It is highly unusual to allow a criminal charge to remain in the district court system for almost four years.  On average most cases criminal cases are resolved within a twelve to sixteen month time frame.

In the case of allegation of sexual abuse by Worcester Auxiliary Bishop George R. Rueguer, an email communication written by Dioceses liaison, Monsignor Thomas Sullivan, to a young girl exposes that indeed confidential information was exchanged with between the diocese and the DA’s Office.

In at least three other attempts of criminal prosecution from within the Worcester Dioceses. Conte’s Office failed to gain a criminal conviction.

The only Worcester dioceses Priest to be held accountable for sexually abusing minors was Father Robert Kelley, who pleaded guilty in a deal for a shorter sentence.  

October 24, 2006

This is the second recent criminal court case that was initiated by an investigation from Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte office, which has resulted in the exoneration at trial.  Brother Louis Laperle, was found innocent in Fitchburg district court in March.

Were is DA Conte in 2004 ?

Where was District Attorney John Conte in 1987 and why has he failed to seek criminal indictments for the crimes committed by Rev. Thomas Kane and the Diocese of Worcester concerning the House of Affirmation?

The House of Affirmation was founded by Father Thomas A. Kane, Sister Anna Polcino and lay Catholic psychiatrist Conrad Baars. It was formally opened with a Mass of dedication at 11:30 a.m. in St. Patrick's Church, Whitinsville, followed by a benefit buffet at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Valley Country Club, Sutton on June 1, 1974 according to published report in The Catholic Free Press. The newspaper never said who benefited from the buffet.

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