Father Francis Nugent (“Fr. Frank”)
Archdiocese of New York/Salesians of Don Bosco
Ordained: 1956
Died: 2011
Assigned as follows:
- 1957 Unknown
- 1958-1959 Sacred Heart Juniorate (Ipswich, MA)
- 1960-1973 Salesian High School (New Rochelle, NY)
- 1974-1978 Don Bosco High School (Ramsey, NJ)
- 1979 University of Scranton (Scranton, PA)
- 1980-1981 Don Bosco Retreat Center (West Haverstraw, NY)
- 1982-1995 Sacred Heart Retreat House (Ipswich, MA)
- 1996-1998 Salesian Residence (South Orange, NJ)
- 1999 The Salesian Community (South Orange, NJ)
- 2000-2002 The Salesian Community; Salesians of Don Bosco, S.D.B. (Orange, NJ)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father Frank Nugent:
Fr. Francis Nugent, who was more commonly referred to as “Fr. Frank,” was a member of the Salesians Order. He was the director of the Salesians’ Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, NJ, and ran a youth camp in Ellenville, NY.
According to media reports, in 1994, a woman reported that Nugent abused her when she was 14, as well as, two of her minor brothers. She said the priest repeatedly abused one of her brothers and he had become suicidal. In 1980, he drove a car owned by the Salesians into a pond and died. He was 25.
Nugent was removed from his position as director of a youth retreat in Ipswich, Massachusetts. He was sent for therapy and reassigned to another parish upon his return. The woman again reported the abuse to the Order in 1998. She subsequently filed a civil suit, which was settled for $250,000 later that year.
She said, “The press has to keep up coverage of female victims so that more people come forward. I told my story because I thought it would do some good — that others would see Father Nugent’s name and come forward. He was working for years with children.”
In October 2002, Nugent was named in a civil lawsuit filed by four former students of a Salesian Junior Seminary. The suit alleged they were repeatedly sexually molested by members of the religious order while living at the seminary between 1969 and 1973.
Nugent’s name now appears on the Salesians’ list of credibly accused members.
Nugent died in January 2011 in Italy, where he had lived for many years.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of New York. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in New York, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of New York now have legal options to recover damages due to a compensation fund created for victims. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an email to [email protected] to discuss your options today.