Last year in late Oct., The Mirror began receiving e-mails from a man named Paul Kendrick alleging that a former Fairfield graduate Doug Perlitz had been abusing young boys at his charity in Haiti. Kendrick had donated money to the charity school, Project Pierre Toussaint, along with making a visit to Haiti and Perlitz. His e-mails also alluded to a cover-up by Fairfield and the Jesuits.
After numerous e-mails on the subject, I contacted Vice President of Administrative and Student Affairs Mark Reed. Reed requested that everything discussed be off the record, and after attempts to contact the FBI and Project Pierre Toussaint board members failed, The Mirror could not report the story with only the say so of Kendrick.
But now Perlitz has been indicted by a federal grand jury on seven counts of traveling outside the U.S. for the purpose of engaging in sex with minors and three counts of engaging in sexual conduct in foreign places with minors.
“We had no prior knowledge of it,” said Rama Sudhakar, vice president of marketing in an article in the Connecticut Post. “There is no real comment to be made. All we can do is give you some facts.”
When asked by The Mirror to clarify her remarks, Sudhakar said, “Prior to the arrest of Mr. Perlitz, the University was not aware of a criminal investigation. Fairfield officials learned about a year ago that the Project’s Board of Directors had removed Mr. Perlitz as the Project’s Director following their investigation.”
But eight of the 16 members of the board of directors had direct Fairfield ties, including faculty, staff, alumni and a Jesuit. The University does not have formal ties to the Haiti Fund, which conveniently allows it to distance itself from the scandal. The University has previously raised money at mass for the charity and awarded Perlitz with an honorary degree.
An internal split occurred shortly after Perlitz was removed as the project’s director following an internal investigation, which the University was aware of, with some board members supporting him, while others decided it was best to move on.
Fr. Paul Carrier, was the chairman of the board for the Haiti Fund, which raised money for Perlitz’s work. No one has been able to reach Carrier for comment on the story, for which The Connecticut Post and Kendrick have insinuated that the Jesuits are attempting to hide Carrier.
Carrier is the former director of Campus Ministry. In 2006, Thomas Regan, S.J., Provincial of New England and former Fairfield professor, removed him from his post in order to take a sabbatical. He has not been charged with any crime, but he was heavily involved with the Haiti Fund.
In a Nov. 2008 e-mail to Kendrick from Regan, Regan said, “While I appreciate your concerns, I have not responded to your recent e-mails concerning Fr. Paul Carrier because I am not, as Provincial, free to give out personal information about an individual Jesuit. I respond now because I believe you may have a misunderstanding about the position of the New England Province of the Society of Jesus in regards to Project Pierre Toussaint.”
Regan continued: “Fr. Paul Carrier, S.J. has not been a member of the Board of the Haiti Fund since last spring. There have been no accusations that Fr. Carrier has in any way engaged in misconduct with boys. While Fr. Carrier, and some former Haiti Fund Board members, have criticized the Board for its decision to remove Mr. Perlitz, he does not speak for the Province in this matter.”
Kendrick, the man who originally tipped off The Mirror to the allegations, is not without blemish either. The Portland (ME) Police issued him a criminal trespass warning and a cease-harassment notice in Dec. 2008 against Bishop Richard Malone. Sue Bernard, a spokesperson for the diocese, said in an article in the Portland Press Herald, Kendrick earned the rebuke due to his frequent public statements against the bishop and his constant correspondence to his office. Kendrick was trying to pressure Malone to meet with the mother of a boy who settled a lawsuit against the diocese when she alleged her son was molested by a priest.
Kendrick could not be reached for comment since he is on vacation when the story broke, but he did say that he was planning a protest outside the school in early Oct.
This story has only begun to come out. No one is going to know how deep this sordid tale runs until the trial begins. Deb Picarazzi, operation assistant for Campus Ministry and board member for the Haiti Fund, has already declined to comment because she is under subpoena. So far, most of what The Mirror has discovered as been off the record. Faculty members and people close to the investigation are reluctant to comment. The real meat of this story will come out during the trial and people have to comment, on the record.
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When asked by The Mirror to clarify her remarks, Sudhakar said, “Prior to the arrest of Mr. Perlitz, the University was not aware of a criminal investigation. Fairfield officials learned about a year ago that the Project’s Board of Directors had removed Mr. Perlitz as the Project’s Director following their investigation.”
Translation: we knew about allegations, we just didn’t know the police knew. . .
David Clohessy, National Director, SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), 7234 Arsenal Street, St. Louis MO 63143 (314 566 9790 cell) SNAPnetwork.org, SNAPclohessy@aol.com
These two most recent articles published by The Mirror staff
regarding the Perlitz situation contain so many inaccuracies
and misstatements that they should be taken down until
corrected.
By the way, I am a Fairfield University alumnus
class of ‘72.
2,4,6,8 – who do we appreciate ? MR. PAUL KENDRICK
I agree with Bob, Paul Kendrick deserves much appreciation and admiration for his work regarding clergy abuse. The fact that Bishop Malone demanded Mr. Kendrick leave him alone is not a “blemish” on Mr. Kendrick’s record, in my opinion. It just means that Mr. Kendrick’s commitment to exposing the truth regarding abuse, and the cover-ups, is irritating those who want to avoid taking responsibility. And, great point, David Clohessy!
Just to clarify, we meant in no way to make Mr. Kendrick sound like someone who does not deserve appreciation for bringing the story to light. We included the portion of the story about Mr. Kendrick and his run-in with the bishop of Portland to add more details to the story and show both sides, as to why Reed and others may have been doubtful of his emails and requests.
Prior to the indictment a Google search would have revealed Mr. Perlitz as an upstanding man, a problem that Mr. Kendrick intended to point out. In the same way, a Google search of Mr. Kendrick shows a man who had been banned from a cathedral in Maine. That is the man that Reed and others saw when they were receiving the emails. That is the point Chris Simmons intended to make by showing both sides, as a good journalist does.
We do apologize for perhaps not clarifying Mr. Kendrick’s past well enough, but in the package that goes along with the story we did call him an “advocate for abuse victims,” which is quite true.
We appreciate your comments and hope that the discussion continues.
Thanks,
Tom Cleary
Mirror editor in chief
I think that the Mirror is doing a thorough and really professional job of reporting on this sad, tragic and disgusting event. To me your reporting is at least as good, if not better, than the “professional” press (not to criticize them by any means). I am a graduate of Fairfield (1964) and visit the campus frequently for lectures and other events. Frequently I would read the Mirror and be very disappointed in the quality of the writing compared to the Yale student paper. However, you have done yourself proud here and can rival that other school in New Haven
Paul Kendrick has risked life and limb to promote the truth. By the way, where are all the other comments about this article. There were many more this morning.
Skip the second part of my last comment. I realize there were two articles in today’s paper. I responded to the editorial. Kudos to the student newspaper for handling this issue so well.
And this whole “the facts WILL come out, eventually” thing is one of the most mealy-mouthed dodges I’ve ever seen. If you have uncovered facts, report them! If you need a trial to establish them all, just fold up shop now.
Did the university try to cover up the allegations? Perhaps. But did The Mirror, too? Why did you accept Mark Reed’s “off the record” condition, and regardless, if Kendrick was making substantive accusations on the record, why can’t you report on them, even if the university won’t deny them on the record? I’m not pretending to have all the facts, but I think a little more elucidation of the whole thing is in order.
Please allow me a moment to clear up a few things. First, I contacted the Mirror staff and members of the Administration in October 2008 with a simple request – I asked that the campus newspaper and Fairfield University’s press room publish information about the firing of Perlitz due to allegations of child sex abuse. I told the Mirror staff that Dr. Marc Reed had copies of a) the letter sent to donors by the remaining Haiti Fund board members announcing the reason why Perlitz was fired and b) the letter sent to the same donors by former board members (led by Rev. Carrier and Fairfield U. grad, Tom Tisdale. I also sent
Mirror reporters an email message to me from Jesuit Provincial, Rev. Thomas Regan, S.J. in which Regan supported the decision by the board to fire Perlitz. Please note that the board conducted a lengthy investigatio of the allegations against Perlitz in cooperation with the Haitian National Police. I felt it was necessary for the University to do its small part In helping to protect children. If a prospective employer such as a day care center, school, or any organization that provided its workers with access to children “googled” Perlitz’s name, the
University’s web site contained no such information, only glowing tributes to Perlitz for his work in Haiti (by the way, the University also chose not to report that the Haitian Court issued a warrant for Perlitz’s arrest in April 2009). I still do not understand why Dr. Reed put up so many roadblocks to my simple request to help protect children. I wasn’t accusing Perlitz of anything. I only
wanted the record to be set straight. FACTS – a) Perlitz was fired in August 2008 b) Reed had copies of the two letters sent to donors c) Reed had a copy of the Jesuit Provincial’s statement supporting the decision to fire Perlitz. Reed treated me as if I was the enemy. I asked him to tell me what is about my request that is wrong? Remember, a year ago, no one knew where Perlitz was located.
Perlitz supporters
to the same donors rebutting the decision to fire
Paul Kendrick is the evil one here… orchestrating media… has anyone spent a minute to think about the fact that this is bull? we are dealing with street kids… tough, mean, and vindictive… Sounds like the Inquisition to me.
When Paul Kendrick approached the Mirror, the Haitian project was essentially done. What should Fairfield University have done — issued a statement saying that the project board is divided over whether Doug Perlitz is an abuser. You stop sending money and wait for the authorities to make their case, which has happened. Please no grandstanding here. If you care so much about the kids, go to Haiti and start up a new project for abandoned children.
Let us also remember, Doug Perlitz is not a priest.
Mr. Kendrick is the real hero in this story,with all the respect to those who are sincerely pursuing serving God, it is about time, the Catholic church stop protecting all these pedophiles.
It is repulsive that many priests got into priesthood just to hide their homosexuality and deprivation, in many cases they were abused by other priests when they were kids and it becomes a destructive chain of abuse and confusion.
The Catholic church has become the tool for confusion,permanent damage for young believers, how can anybody preach the existence of God, by taking away the purity of vulnerable children.
Mr. Paul Kendrick was unjustly accused of harassing Bishop Malone, he was doing the right thing, he got a conscience. It is Bishop Malone and the entire Catholic church that should be prosecuted for destroying permanently the lives of little children that Jesus once said: “I wish everyone were like little children, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these,”
Vindictive children? really, it is happening everywhere…
The head of the largest Catholic archdiocese in the United States faced a grueling five-hour deposition last month, answering questions about his knowledge of abusive priests and his attempts to prevent the information from reaching police.