Local parish priest steps down

    PORTLAND — Bishop Robert P. Deeley of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese has approved the request of Fr. Joseph W. Cahill to step down as the pastor of Our Lady of the Snows parish and St. Agnes parish in Pittsfield “in order to take part in a period of prayer, reflection, and renewal before accepting a new assignment.”

    Our Lady of the Snows consists of St. Anne’s Church in Dexter, St. Thomas Aquinas in Dover-Foxcroft and Saints Francis Xavier and Paul the Apostle Church in Milo.
    Fr. Cahill, who has served as pastor of the parishes since July 1, 2013, made the request “as the result of a boundary violation. The violation did not involve a minor nor any illegal activity,” according to the press release from the archdiocese.
    Bishop Deeley also announced that Fr. Robert Gaudreau, a native of Rhode Island and a priest of the Archdiocese of Sherbrooke, Quebec, has agreed to serve as temporary parochial vicar of Our Lady of the Snows Parish and St. Agnes Parish “effective immediately and until such time as a new pastor can be named.”
    Fr. Mark Nolette will continue to serve as parochial vicar of the two parishes.