Former Bangor priest resigns Coughlin harbored sex abuser

SOUTH PORTLAND – A Catholic priest has resigned as head of two South Portland churches after a church investigation into his association with a man now serving a prison term for sexual abuse of a minor.

The Rev. Paul Coughlin, 69, was asked to resign by Bishop Richard Malone, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, who informed parishioners in a letter read during weekend Masses at the Holy Cross and St. John the Evangelist churches in South Portland, where Coughlin has served since 1996.

In his letter, Malone also referred to the church’s separate review of a complaint brought two years ago against Coughlin, which alleged sexual misconduct with a minor in 1985.

“Although no new evidence specifically regarding the 2002 complaint was found, it is now reasonable to believe there was inappropriate physical contact at that time,” the bishop said in his prepared statement. “None of Father Coughlin’s actions constituted a criminal offense … However, his actions do represent ethical violations.”

The bishop offered no details about what constituted inappropriate contact, with whom or where the incident took place, but church records show Coughlin was assigned to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bangor from 1978 to 1987.

Coughlin was temporarily removed from his South Portland pastorate in early August when church officials began a separate investigation into whether he put children at risk by allowing John Skinner Sr., 62, of Bar Harbor to live with him at the St. John’s rectory between 1999 and 2001.Skinner was sentenced on Aug. 27 in Penobscot County Superior Court to 18 years in prison, with all but five years suspended, after pleading guilty to sexually abusing two boys he met through church in separate incidents in 1989 and between 1990 and 1994.

Both victims participated in youth programs at St. Mary of Lourdes Catholic Church in Lincoln, where Skinner volunteered as an adult supervisor from the late 1980s to late 1990s.

The diocese’s investigation found that Coughlin failed to follow church policy when he did not report to superiors receiving information in 1989 from a minor who had been sexually abused by Skinner, and that he failed to assist the victim, Malone said in the letter released on Saturday.

The investigation also found that Coughlin allowed Skinner to live at the St. John rectory, where Skinner had access to minors when he attended a youth ministry convention and claimed to be a representative of the parishes.

There was no evidence that Skinner abused minors in South Portland or at the youth convention, the church said.

“The invitation to [Skinner] to live in the rectory without safeguards to assure the protection of God’s children was not an appropriate means to assist Mr. Skinner,” Malone wrote. “Moreover, there are some who are saying that Father Coughlin only knew of Mr. Skinner’s abuse within the administration of the sacrament of reconciliation.

“The investigation concluded that Father had knowledge from sources outside the sacrament,” the bishop said. “My actions are based on external information. It should be noted that even if a priest learned this kind of information through the sacrament he is still obligated to protect children while maintaining the integrity of the seal of confession.”

The church said it has turned over the information from its investigations to the state Attorney General’s Office for review.

Coughlin remains an employee of the diocese but is prohibited from exercising any public ministry. His resignation as head of the South Portland churches does not affect Coughlin’s plans to retire from the priesthood next year. The church did not say what he would be doing until then.

Monsignor Michael Henchal, pastor of St. Bartholomew Parish in Cape Elizabeth, will continue to serve as temporary administrator for Coughlin’s parishes.

Coughlin, a native of Stoneham, Mass., was ordained in 1966. He was assigned to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bangor in January 1978, when the church was located on Cedar Street. On Feb. 3, 1978, in subzero temperatures, a 14-year-old boy set a fire that destroyed the 105-year-old landmark.

For two years, Coughlin celebrated Mass at the chapel at the former Dow Air Force Base while a new church was built on Ohio Street. The priest was transferred to a parish in Wells in 1987.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.