Lawsuit targets Maine priest Former altar boy claims he was abused

AUGUSTA – A former altar boy who claims he was sexually abused by a Roman Catholic priest is suing.

Steven Boyden, who now lives in Georgia, targeted Bishop Richard Malone and the former priest, Ronald Michaud, in Kennebec County Superior Court.

Boyden, 37, contends the abuse happened in the mid-1980s when he was 16 and living in Windham. Michaud is accused of molesting the teen while serving at St. Hyacinth’s Church in Westbrook and again after being transferred to northern Aroostook County.

Boyden contends the diocese knew that others had accused Michaud of misconduct but continued to reassign him to new parishes.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland contends it became aware of problems when Michaud was accused in 1989 of offenses that took place in Maryland. Diocese officials say Boyden didn’t come to them until 2002 to report the abuse.

Michaud, who couldn’t be reached for comment, was one of six priests accused of sexual abuse who were identified for the first time earlier this year by Malone out of concern that they could commit offenses while waiting for the Vatican to complete its investigation. Information on the status of that investigation was not available Monday night.

When Malone named the six priests back in January he indicated that Malone still lived in Maine, but would not say in what community. Other information released by the diocese at the time said the 60-year-old priest had been restricted from ministry since 1989 and that he had served in Maine at the following parishes: St. Ignatius, Sanford; St. Andre, Biddeford; St. Hyacinth, Westbrook; St. Joseph, Sinclair; and Holy Family, Daigle.

On Monday, Barbara Dorris from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests urged any other victims to come forward. “We hope that others who saw, suspected or suffered inappropriate behavior by Michaud, or other clergy, contact police and get help,” she said.