Reproduce freely with attribution.The Catholic Observer, the award-winning biweekly newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, will cease publication after its July 2 edition, making way for a new 32-page magazine, an increased Internet news presence and a weekly news e-mail. After allegations were made against him in the Archdiocese of Washington in 2003, others accused him of abusing minors in Peru, South America.Īny original material on these pages is copyright © 2004. Mary Parish in Westfield where, among other duties, he cared for Spanish-speaking parishioners.įather Cote left the diocese in 1995. Theresa Parish in South Hadley from April to September, 1991. After graduate studies with the Dominicans, he was ordained a priest in 1986.Īfter ministry outside the Diocese of Springfield, he served as appointed parochial vicar at St. Pius V Parish in Providence since 2004.įather Cote is a native of Holyoke and graduate of The Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He had served as a parochial vicar at St. 15, 2005 by the Diocese of Providence, R.I. The now-suspended priest, who had been living at a Dominican residence in New York, was permanently removed from public ministry on Nov. Anderson told at the time that the priest had harmed the then 4- and 6-year-old boys during visits to a family he knew in this area. In April, a West Springfield woman alleged in a lawsuit filed in New York that her young children had been sexually abused by Father Cote from approximately 2002 to 2005. ![]() "We do expect him to be fully exonerated," said Father Cote's attorney, Terrance McGann. At press time, it was unclear why criminal charges had been filed at this time. The related criminal investigation was suspended during the civil court proceedings. Joseph Province of the Dominicans agreed last year to settle a lawsuit filed against it and Father Cote. In summer 2001, when the boy was 14-years-old, police said, Cote took Rains to an apartment in Germantown and "engaged in inappropriate personal sexual activity in the victim's presence and inappropriate touching of the victim." The abuse allegedly continued for about one year, according to the police. had been accused of sexual abuse by former altar boy, Brandon Rains, who filed a lawsuit against him in 2005.Īccording to Montgomery County police, the priest had been counseling Rains while serving part-time as youth minister at Mother Seton. 1, officials said.įather Cote, who was an associate pastor in 20 at Mother Seton parish in the Washington, D.C. At a court hearing, he failed in an attempt have his bail reduced, and was scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on Aug. "Finally, in this case, we're seeing justice," said SNAP President Barbara Blaine.īut the following day, Father Cote posted his bond and was released from police custody. We're happy," said attorney Jeffrey Anderson, who represents victims of sexual abuse by priests. "Kids are safe because Cote is behind bars. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) and a prominent Minnesota lawyer allied with the group quickly issued statements in reaction. ![]() He was charged with custodian child abuse and was held on $250,000 bond. ![]() after learning that authorities were about to seek a warrant for his arrest. SPRINGFIELD – A Dominican priest who once served as parochial vicar in two parishes of the Diocese of Springfield was jailed overnight July 1 after turning himself in to police in Maryland.įather Aaron Joseph Cote, 56, surrendered to the Montgomery County Police in Rockville, Md. Dominican Priest Who Served Locally Surrenders to Maryland Police, by Father Bill Pomerleau, iobserve, ĭominican Priest Who Served Locally Surrenders to Maryland Police
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