Rev. J. Garret "Gary" Thomson

Summary of Case: A single allegation surfaced in early 2009 that Thomson had sexually abused a minor 15 years earlier. Thomson was put on administrative leave and died two days of natural causes.

Ordained: 1981

     

Start Stop Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes

1981

Boston archbishop was Humberto Sousa Medeiros (1970-1983), followed by Bernard Francis Law (1984-2002)

1987 St. Mary's Randolph MA 2/4, 2/3  
    U.S. Airforce Reserves     chaplain  
1987 1994 St. Bridget's

Maynard

• An allegation surfaced in early 2009 that Thomson had sexually abused a minor "15 years ago ". (The Sun Chronicle
January 16, 2010)

MA 2/2 Parish had a school until 1989 with 72-53 students.
1994 1998 Immaculate Conception Marlboro MA 2/2, 2/3  
1998 1999 St. Joseph's Medway MA 2/2  

1999

Law was replaced by Sean Patrick O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap.
(2003-)

2008 St. Elizabeth's Medical Center Boston (Brighton) MA assistant chaplain  
2000 2004 Graduate Studies        
2002 2008 St. Mary Magdalen Tyngsboro MA 2/2, 1/1 Parish had a religious education program with 750-650 students.
2008 2009 St. Martha's Plainville MA  

Parish had a religious education program.

Thomson was put on administrative leave Jan. 4, 2010 due to an allegation that he sexually abused a minor 15 years previously. (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
January 15, 2010)

Thomson died Jan. 6, 2010 (Boston Globe
January 10, 2010)


Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1982-2009)

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 Thomson'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 July 7, 2010