Father Louis Berube
Diocese of Portland
Ordained: 1947
Retired: 1992
Died: 2002
Assigned as follows:
- Notre Dame Church (Waterville, ME)
- St. Michael (South Berwick, ME)
- Academy of St. Joseph (South Berwick, ME)
- Indian Mission (Peter Point, ME)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Fr. Louis Berube:
Fr. Louis Berube was ordained a priest in 1947, who served in multiple parishes in the Diocese of Portland. Fr. Berube was also involved with the Boy Scouts of America in the Washington County District of Maine. According to media reports, in 2002, the Diocese received an allegation of child sexual abuse in 1971 against Fr. Louis Berube. At the time of the alleged abuse, the accuser was a female student at the Academy of St. Joseph in South Berwick, ME. She alleged that Fr. Berube would press his body against hers while passing in the hall and that on one occasion he groped and kissed her. The diocese forwarded the allegation to the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office.
The Diocese of Portland reported another child sexual abuse allegation against Berube to the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office in 2003. According to the allegation, Berube sexually abused an altar boy at Notre Dame Church in Waterville. Berube instructed the alleged victim and other altar boys to remove their clothes while preparing for mass and to serve while naked under their robes. The priest was also accused of fondling the victim and putting his hands down his pants.
The Diocese of Portland also disclosed that it had received two letters alleging sexual misconduct by Fr. Berube. A letter postmarked 1954, asserts that Fr. Berube was “girl crazy and always in the company of young women and girls.” The second letter dated 1955 alleges that Berube kept girls at his house from 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. and that he would select a special girl to drive around with him all night. The letter names four alleged victims.
Berube was accused of abusing minor girls in 1954, 1961 or 1962, and 1971. He retired in 1992 and died in 2002 at the age of 80.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Portland in Maine. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Maine, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Portland now have legal options, but filing deadlines may apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Maine and nationwide. We can help.
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