PORTLAND, Maine — A former Maine priest suspended from the ministry seven years ago after he was arrested for allegedly groping a teenage boy in a Texas movie theater has died, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland announced Wednesday.
Paul Clogan died Sunday in Austin, Texas, at the age of 81.
Clogan worked as a priest in Maine for 18 months before transferring to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin in January 2001.
He was a priest at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Horseshoe Falls, Texas, when he was arrested in December 2005 at a movie theater in the nearby town of Marble Falls, according to a previously published report.
Both communities are about 50 miles northwest of Austin.
Clogan was never convicted of indecency with a minor, according the press release issued by the diocese. His 2008 trial in Texas on the charge ended in a mistrial. A second trial was scheduled for March 2009 but never was held, the release said.
Clogan was born in Massachusetts, married and raised his family in Texas. He was an English professor for 35 years before becoming a priest, according to a previously published report. After he was widowed, Clogan was ordained to the priesthood in Maine in 1999 at the age of 68.
He served as chaplain of Eastern Maine Medical Center and St. Joseph Hospital, both in Bangor, for one month after his ordination, according to a previously published report. In August 1999, he was named parish administrator of Holy Name Catholic Church in Machias and St. Michael Mission in Cherryfield, where he served for 14 months.
He retired in May 2004 but continued to serve the Diocese of Austin until he was suspended in 2005, the Maine diocese said in Wednesday’s press release.
I often wonder about Father Kane from the South Portland parish who molested a young boy I knew in 1996. At the time, there was no acknowledgement by the parish that Father Kane was a pedophile or that Father Kane caused the young boy to commit suicide by shooting himself. Everything was hush, hush at the time. The parish secretly paid for the boy’s funeral – about $4,500. Shortly after the funeral, the parish transferred Father Kane to the Togus VA Hospital where he would be less likely to molest young boys. I’ve been hoping to read a news item where he too jumped off a bridge into a river where he belongs.
His full name is Father Francis J. Kane. It was shortly after Thanksgiving in 1995 that the young boy committed suicide. I would appreciate any further information that someone might have on this dispicable human being who, as parents, we were taught to trust.
A quick web search shows that he went on to work at Togus and provided prayers at opening sessions of the Maine legislature. He retired in 1997. Ten years later the Vatican decided that he shouldn’t be a priest anymore (nothing like swift ‘justice’) and assigned him a life of prayer and penance. http://www.sunjournal.com/node/240918
Stories like this make me want to see a picture of the Pope in handcuffs.
Thank you. Much appreciated. And yes, I am in total agreement with you.
Best thing I ever did for myself was to walk away from the Catholic Church, before my faith was completely destroyed.
The teachings of the Catholic Church come from Jesus Christ and his apostles, and by following them, we will find the way to salvation through Christ. The actions of sinners who may be members of the Catholic faith in no way diminish those teachings. Those sinners may be setting a terrible example, but they act in a way completely contrary to the faith, which condemns their actions.
so is this why for decades Pope John Paul hide all that was happening. What a joke. Your one of the reasons why they let these men get moved and sheltered at the expense of young boys who never stood a chance at a real experience with GOD. You should be ashamed to defend this religion. It is twisted and sick.
You say what you do, because you don’t understand what Catholicism is all about. If you knew just how important it is to your salvation, and to the salvation of all the people in the world, you would be first in line to join the Catholic faith.
The problem is that some children who are trying to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ ended up getting molested by the guys who were supposed to be teaching them. You’d think Jesus would do something about that, no?
Funny thing is, when the Priests of Ireland got together and decided they would report to authorities any allegation of priest pedophilia, the Pope sent his Apostolic Nuncio for Ireland to tell them that reporting these priests is against the canon of the church. In other words, the reporting of these priests is contrary to Christ.
Info about Kane… http://bishop-accountability.org/priestdb/PriestDBbylastName-K.html
Thank you, Judy. Even though it roils my stomach, I will read it all. Just the other day, I chatted with the mother who lost her teenage son because of this creep. And to think Kane is still alive and supported by the Pope even roils my stomach more.
Yet, the Bob Carlson case is closed? The public has a right to know about this public figure, also.
So…they removed my post.. a very accurate/honest post..anyway…we should be sad????? BUNK…another pedophile whom will not hurt any more kids…YAY!!!!!! may you enjoy Hall you POS..Ya, I know, I spelled Hall wrong, but that flagged it, and they removed it…but you know what I mean by “Hall” that is where he belongs!!!!
just one more reason not to trust these people………I hope he burns in hell for eternity and the boy is safely in the arms of God……..This religion and it’s followers should be ashamed of all that has happened. Just because God is suppose to forgive all sins for the Catholics, it does not make all forgiven or forgotten these scares live forever the molested and abused. Some religion in my eyes, I keep my children safely away from the Catholics house of God, it is the house of the Devil with secrets and shame cast for decades by pathetic men who find it a safe haven for themselves and all their sins.
good riddance