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Father Brendan W. O’Donoghue served within the Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts, where a pattern of frequent transfers and multiple sexual abuse allegations spanned his decades-long ministry. O’Donoghue was transferred twelve times in his first fifteen years as a priest — an extraordinary rate of movement that raises serious questions about what the diocese knew and when it chose to act. He retired from active parish ministry in 1984 but was placed on administrative leave in 1994, after a man filed suit alleging that O’Donoghue had sexually assaulted him at age thirteen in 1978.
That 1994 lawsuit referenced two previous allegations against O’Donoghue, reflecting that concerns about his conduct predated that survivor’s decision to come forward. The suit settled in 1999 for $300,000. In 1999, a second plaintiff filed suit alleging abuse in 1962; that case settled in 2001. Additional lawsuits followed in 2002 and 2004, with allegations spanning multiple decades and multiple victims. O’Donoghue died on August 26, 2014, without having faced criminal prosecution based on the public record.
With decades of dedicated advocacy, we have held abusers and institutions accountable, helping survivors secure justice and the resources to move forward.
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In clergy abuse cases, frequent transfers can serve as an institutional response to complaints — moving an accused priest to a new parish where his history is unknown, rather than removing him from ministry and protecting future victims. Civil litigation allows survivors and their counsel to examine what the diocese knew, when it knew it, and whether transfers were used as a means of concealment rather than accountability.
The record in this case does not leave open the question of whether the Diocese of Worcester was aware of concerns about O’Donoghue. Deposition testimony and contemporaneous documents reflect that the diocese received complaints about his conduct as early as 1954, and again in the mid-1960s. When Edward Gagne and his parents reported the alleged 1978 abuse to then-Bishop Bernard Flanagan in December of that year, they were told not to speak of it publicly. Despite this history, O’Donoghue was permitted to continue in parish ministry until his retirement. He was placed on administrative leave only after the 1994 civil lawsuit was filed. The serious question raised by this timeline is not whether the diocese received complaints, but why it took no meaningful protective action for decades.
The multiple civil settlements reached in connection with allegations against O’Donoghue — while entered into without any admission of liability — reflect years of litigation that brought survivors’ accounts into the public record and documented the institutional response to those accounts.
For survivors who have not yet come forward, Massachusetts law may provide opportunities to seek accountability. The specific legal options available to you will depend on the facts and timing of your experience. The pattern of frequent transfers combined with multiple allegations over several decades may support claims of institutional liability, and an attorney can evaluate whether the circumstances of your experience may give rise to a civil claim.
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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