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Father Barry Robinson was ordained in East Melbourne, Australia in 1970 and served in several parishes across Victoria before transferring in 1979 to Santiago, Chile, where he worked with the Columban Mission Society. He returned to Australia in 1985 and served at a parish in East Melbourne until around 1992, before arriving in Boston, where he was assigned to Blessed Sacrament parish in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood. In March 1994, Robinson admitted to his therapist that he sexually abused a 16-year-old boy in the parish rectory, and also admitted to sexual misconduct during his years in Chile.
When the therapist reported these disclosures to civil authorities, Robinson returned to Australia before he could be investigated. Despite this, he was permitted to continue active ministry in the Melbourne archdiocese following treatment. When his history became publicly known in January 2004, parishioners called for his removal. Robinson resigned from his parish in May 2004 and was placed on administrative leave. That July, he was moved to a residence described as a special house for priests with problems, located adjacent to an elementary school. In May 2010, parishioners at St. Brigid’s in Healesville raised concerns after learning that Robinson had been assigned to conduct Easter services as a supply priest; the services were ultimately canceled following community opposition. Father Barry Robinson died on October 10, 2014.
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The case of Father Barry Robinson is notable for the geographic scope of his ministry and the institutional failures that permitted him to remain in active service across multiple countries and over many years. His 1994 admission to a therapist confirmed abuse in both Boston and Chile, yet rather than face accountability, Robinson returned to Australia and continued serving in active ministry. The decision to house him adjacent to an elementary school in 2004 and to permit him to function as a supply priest for years afterward reflects a pattern of institutional disregard for the safety of children and parishioners in the communities he served.
Civil claims in cases such as this may examine the conduct of multiple institutions across different periods of a priest’s ministry. When religious organizations receive direct disclosures of abuse and respond with reassignment or relocation rather than removal, shared institutional responsibility may be a legitimate focus of legal scrutiny. The geographic complexity of Robinson’s career does not diminish the potential merit of claims arising from his time in the Archdiocese of Boston. Massachusetts law may provide survivors with pathways that account for the particular challenges of coming forward, including delays rooted in fear, trauma, or institutional pressure. Survivors who experienced abuse connected to Father Robinson’s ministry may be able to pursue civil claims.
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
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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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