Father Legér TremblayOrdained: 1948
Removed: 1987
Settlement: 2004, 2005
Death: 2002
Assignment History:
- Mission Church of St. Charles (Goudeau, LA)
- St. Juliana (Alexandria, LA)
- Church of the Little Flower (Evergreen, LA)
- Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (Shreveport, LA)
- St. Joseph (Mansfield, LA)
Summary of the Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Legér Tremblay
In February 2019, the Diocese of Alexandria publicly named Fr. Legér Tremblay on its list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. According to the list, Fr. Tremblay allegedly abused male minors in the 1950s and 1960s.
In 2003 and 2005, the Permanent Review Board-which evaluates all allegations of clerical sexual misconduct involving minors-reviewed the evidence and determined the allegations were credible.
Additionally, the victims received settlements in 2004 and 2005.
2005 Complaint and Allegation
While it's unclear which allegations the Permanent Review Board evaluated, a 2005 lawsuit against the Diocese of Alexandria details a rape Fr. Legér Tremblay allegedly committed against a male minor (the Plaintiff) in the 1950s.
In the summer of 1955, the Plaintiff says he was a 14-year-old living in the St. Landry parish of Louisiana when Fr. Tremblay persuaded the Plaintiff's mother to allow the Plaintiff to accompany the priest on a trip to Cow Island.
According to the complaint, Fr. Tremblay "showed up to [the Plaintiff's] home with his redheaded driver." Fr. Tremblay introduced the redheaded driver as "Don his seminary driver", later identified as Fr. Donald McCarthy.
As the trip began, the Plaintiff says Fr. Tremblay began groping him. After the Plaintiff and the priest went to Cow Island and found Fr. Tremblay's acquaintance unavailable, the Plaintiff claims Fr. Tremblay asked for sexual acts, to which the Plaintiff resisted.
Throughout the complaint, the Plaintiff asserts Fr. Tremblay continued to pressure him for sex. "I fought for the next nine hours, begging him to stop," the Plaintiff states in his complaint. The Plaintiff says he thought he would be safe when Fr. Tremblay instructed Fr. McCarthy to drive to find "Jimmy" because "he would cooperate.
When the priests were unable to find "Jimmy", the Plaintiff says Fr. McCarthy "drove into the dark on the side of a theatre on Cameron Street in Lafayette. According to the Plaintiff's account, Fr. Tremblay told the Plaintiff "if he submitted, [Fr. Tremblay] would take him home. The complaint then states both Fr. Tremblay and "Don the seminary" driver raped the Plaintiff.
2005 Litigation and Result
Between 1990 and 2003, the Plaintiff says he called the Diocese of Alexandria more than once to "request assistance." According to the Plaintiff, he was told that Fr. Legér Tremblay had been "doing this" since 1952 and was "kicked out of the priesthood in 1986."
In 2005, the Plaintiff filed a suit against the diocese and Fr. McCarthy (Fr. Tremblay died three years prior). In his complaint, the Plaintiff asserts the diocese "was aware of Tremblay's pedophilia and adopted a policy of containment and secrecy."
Ultimately, the case was dismissed because the Plaintiff was unable to overcome the statute of limitations.
Fr. Legér Tremblay's Removal
According to the Diocese of Shreveport, Fr. Leger Tremblay was removed from the priesthood in 1987 after an allegation of "an attempted, unwanted physical advance toward a minor."
Ordained May 22, 1948, Fr. Tremblay served in Plaucheville, Marksville, Evergreen, Alexandria, Jena, Ferriday, Mansfield, and Shreveport. Sources say he also often traveled internationally to preach. Much is not known about Fr. Tremblay's whereabouts after his removal.
Fr. Legér Tremblay died on January 13, 2002, at Glen Oaks Nursing Home.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Louisiana, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Alexandria may now have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Louisiana and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your options today.