Sidney man suing diocese speaks out about molestation

AUGUSTA – A Sidney man says he was molested as a teen-ager by a Roman Catholic priest who church leaders knew had a history of sexually abusing children.

Michael Fortin told a news conference at his lawyer’s office that he kept quiet for years about sexual abuse by the Rev. Ray Melville at St. Mary’s Church and St. Mary’s school in Augusta.

He said the abuse took place from 1985, when Fortin was a 13-year-old altar boy, until 1992.

“I was shamed into silence, and I thought I had done something wrong,” Fortin said Monday.

“After gathering strength through my feelings of confusion and embarrassment, I am speaking today because these secrets must end,” he said.

Fortin said Melville molested him after becoming close with his parents. “He became like an adopted son, sharing in Christmas celebrations and other family events while he discreetly abused me,” Fortin said.

Melville, who stepped down from the active ministry five years ago, could not be reached for comment.

Fortin, who filed a lawsuit last summer against the Diocese of Portland and Melville, claimed the church transferred the priest rather than deal with his pedophilia.

“I have learned that the Portland diocese chooses to resolve cases of priests abusing children by paying the victims for their silence and settling the matter by moving pedophiles from parish to parish while concealing the truth,” Fortin said.

Fortin made his statement at a time when other people are publicly airing charges of sexual abuse they previously found too embarrassing to disclose. He said he hopes his speaking publicly will help him heal.