This made for a very Happy Easter:
The Rev. Charles J. Murphy is returning to St. Francis Xavier Church in Weymouth now that the archdiocese has cleared him of sexual abuse charges.
‘‘It was a nightmare for him,’’ Boston attorney Timothy O’Neill, who represented the Rev. Murphy in a lawsuit, said yesterday. ‘‘He has had tremendous support from the community. There was no credibility (in the charges) whatsoever. He’s a good man.’’
In August 2004, the Rev. Murphy, then 70, was placed on administrative leave following allegations that he molested a young girl years ago while serving as director of counseling at the former Boston School for the Deaf in Randolph.
I have only a couple of comments. 1. Notice that when ambulance chasers “lawyers” get their cases thrown out, they start whimpering about “technicalities.” 2. Notice that the woman who smeared Father Murphy doesn’t have to give her name or make an appearance. She can run back to the shadows.
As I’ve said before, the Archdiocese did not do itself much credit when this whole charade started in August of 2004. They went from one extreme, covering up abusers, to the opposite: Father Murphy, whom I’ve known my whole life, and who taught me how to serve as an altar boy almost 40 years ago, was basically thrown to the wolves and has had to fend for himself, including relying on the charity of the many friends and families who stuck by him and helped him get an attorney. I can’t help wondering whether Cardinal O’Malley will be sending him an apology.
Don’t expect the Boston Globe to run a related piece any time soon. They’re content to just write about the accusations—not the actual verdict.