Rev. Barry Robinson

Summary of Case: Robinson admitted to a therapist in 1994 that he had engaged in "sexual misconduct" while serving as a priest in Chile, and to "sexual relations" with a 16 year old boy at a parish in Boston. The therapist reported his disclosure to civil authorities. Robinson fled to his native Australia before he could be investigated. He was allowed to continue in active ministry in the Melbourne archdiocese after receiving treatment.

Ordained:

     

Start Stop Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes
1979 1985  

 

• Robinson admitted to having engaged in "sexual misconduct" while serving as a priest in Chile. (Boston Globe
January 14, 2004)

Chile    

1984

Melbourne archbishop was Thomas Francis Little (1974-1996)

1992 St. John the Evangelist East Melbourne Australia Administrator This assignment is per the website for St. Patrick Cathedral in Melbourne. Another source places him at this parish in the late 1980s and early 1990s". (Broken Rites)
Boston archbishop was Bernard Francis Law (1984-2002) 1994 Blessed Sacrament

Boston (Jamaica Plain)

• Robinson admitted to a therapist in March 1994 that he had had "sexual relations" with a 16 year old boy in the rectory of Blessed Sacrament parish. (Associated Press State & Local Wire
January 14, 2004)

MA   Robinson's therapist reported his disclosure to the Dept. of Social Services, who reported it to the District Attorney. Robinson abruptly left the U.S. and returned to Australia in April 1994.

1994

 

     Melbourne Australia hospital chaplain Melbourne's Vicar-General in 2004 stated that Robinson's "license to act as a priest" was taken away in March 1994.

1997

Little was succeeded by George Pell (1996-2001), followed by Denis James Hart (2001- )

 

 2004 St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Williamstown, Melbourne

Australia

 assistant pastor

According to Melbourne church authorities, Robinson was allowed to return to active ministry after intensive therapy. (The Age (Melbourne, Australia)
January 16, 2004) This parish had a primary school next door. Robinson's contact with children was supposed to be restricted. In Jan. 2004, the archdiocese refused to remove Robinson from the parish in response to calls for his removal. (Herald Sun [Melbourne, Australia]
January 21, 2004) Robinson did leave the parish on his own accord, due to what he called "pressure of the cowards", but was returned there after a few months. (The Age (Melbourne, Australia)
May 13, 2004) Due to more outcry from parishioners with children at the parish school, Robinson resigned in May 2004, and was placed on administrative leave. The parish was deeply divided on the issue. (The Age (Melbourne, Australia)
May 14, 2004) In July 2004 Robinson was moved to a house for priests "with special problems", right next door to another elementary school, prompting another outcry. (Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia)
July 9, 2004)

2010     Melbourne Australia supply priest In 2010, parishioners at St. Brigid's in Healesville discovered that Robinson was to conduct Easter services as a fill in priest at their parish. Easter services were canceled after parishioners campaigned to prevent Robinson from coming to St. Brigid's. (Herald Sun
May 23, 2010)


Source:

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Robinson's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on Dec. 22, 2010