Sculpture of Abuser Removed From Church
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BOSTON — The bust of a priest accused of sexually abusing parishioners has been taken down.
Women had complained to Cardinal Sean O’Malley that Reverend Louis Toma had abused girls during his 50 years as pastor at Saint Lazarus Church in East Boston.
Barbara Thorp at the victims’ support office of the Boston Archdiocese says the church had an obligation to listen and respond to the women.
O’Malley’s assistant, the Reverend John Connolly, says about 16 victims, family members and clergy watched as the statue was knocked off its pedestal yesterday.
Rev. Connolly says that, although Toma was considered “iconic,” it was necessary to admit that he harmed some of the children he was charged with caring for. Toma was the pastor at the church from 1911 until his death in 1961.
