Congregation welcomes back reinstated priest

NEWTON, Mass. -- Monsignor Michael Smith Foster made an emotional return to his former parish Sunday for the first time since he was cleared of child sexual abuse allegations.

"Your letters, cards, phone calls and prayers kept my spirit alive," he said, thanking friends and strangers for their kindness. "You will never know how grateful I am."

Foster was the highest ranking clergy member accused of abuse since the crisis erupted in January, when court documents revealed that the archdiocese shuffled abusive priests between parishes. He is the presiding judge of the archdiocesan tribunal that handles annulments and canon law issues,

The Mass at Sacred Heart church was packed with those who steadfastly supported the priest when he was accused of sexual abuse and twice suspended before being reinstated last month.

As he made his way up the aisle toward the altar, shaking hands and greeting parishioners, the congregation broke out in applause for about 30 seconds.

In August, former altar boy Paul Edwards accused Foster of sexually molesting him in his rectory bedroom at Newton's Sacred Heart parish between 1980 and 1985.

Foster then took a leave of absence and was suspended from his pastoral duties. But the charges were placed in doubt after acquaintances of Edwards pointed to errors in his account.

The lawsuit was dropped Sept. 3.

Foster was reinstated, but then the archdiocese reopened its investigation because of "new information" from Edwards, and suspended him yet again.

Oct. 30, the archdiocese restored him to his post as Judicial Vicar and Presiding Judge of the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Boston, after an internal review determined that his accuser's complaint was "unsubstantiated."