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Father Albert Rene Blanchard was ordained in 1966 and served in the Diocese of Springfield until leaving active ministry in 1977. In 1993, a woman came forward and reported that she had sought counseling from Blanchard in 1971 when she was only 15 years old. He was 30 at the time. What should have been a therapeutic relationship instead became, according to the survivor’s account, a pattern of sexual abuse that lasted four years — a claim the Diocese later found credible. A settlement was reached following that finding.
The story did not end there. In 2009, the survivor discovered that Blanchard was serving as a volunteer co-facilitator for Always Our Children, a parish-based support group endorsed by Bishop Timothy McDonnell that was primarily aimed at parents of gay and lesbian children but that at times included teenage participants. She filed a complaint, but it took an entire year — and the intervention of a newspaper reporter — for the Diocese to remove him. The Diocese officially included Blanchard’s name in its 2021 report of individuals with credible findings of sexual abuse of a minor. He died on April 20, 2023.
With decades of dedicated advocacy, we have held abusers and institutions accountable, helping survivors secure justice and the resources to move forward.
For over two decades, we have focused solely on advocating for survivors, combining legal skill with compassion to guide them toward justice and healing.
We are honored to have guided thousands of survivors through the legal process, offering support, advocacy, and the resources they need to reclaim their lives.
Survivors of sexual abuse by Father Albert Rene Blanchard may be able to pursue civil claims against the Diocese of Springfield for institutional failures that extended beyond the original abuse. The Diocese’s own Misconduct Commission found the allegation credible following a 1993 investigation and the matter was resolved through settlement — yet in 2009, the Diocese permitted Blanchard to serve as a volunteer co-facilitator for a bishop-endorsed parish support group that at times included teenage participants, and then took a year to remove him after the survivor complained.
Civil litigation may examine what diocesan officials knew about Blanchard’s volunteer role, how he came to be placed in that position despite the prior credibility finding and settlement, and what the Diocese’s delayed response to the 2009 complaint reveals about its broader safeguarding practices. The Diocese’s own credibility determination and settlement may provide a foundation for civil claims, and the 2009 volunteer placement adds a distinctive dimension to the institutional accountability questions this case presents.
For survivors, civil litigation may seek compensation for therapy, emotional distress, and long-term psychological harm, while also creating a formal record of institutional accountability — documenting the full arc of the Diocese’s response from the 1993 credibility finding through the 2009 volunteer placement and its aftermath.
Every survivor deserves compassion and acknowledgment. This video explains how civil law empowers individuals harmed by clergy abuse to pursue accountability and closure. Justice extends beyond courtrooms; it allows survivors to reclaim their voice and aids them on their healing journey. Survivors across Massachusetts continue proving that truth carries strength and healing begins with being heard.
Our experienced and compassionate team of attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and support staff have extensive training in working with sexual abuse victims.
These cases are complex; however, our team are experts in these types of cases and will diligently ensure our clients are compensated for full and fair value. We always do our best to help our clients heal by giving them a voice
and helping them seek a measure of justice.
Massachusetts Disclaimer:Herman Law has a multistate practice representing victims of sexual abuse in civil cases. A Herman Law attorney is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts. Each case is different, and results in prior cases do not assure a similar outcome in future cases. If there is no recovery, no fees or expenses will be charged. Attorney Advertising by Jenny Rossman.
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