Disclaimer: This article discusses sexual abuse. Reader discretion in advised.

A former Brandeis Catholic Chaplain, Rev. Walter H. Cuenin was recently accused of “forcing a 20-year-old male [in 2014] Brandeis University student to have oral sex with him in a Manhattan hotel room,” according to a lawsuit filed in New York City. 

Rev. Cuenin, who is 79 years old, worked as both the Catholic Chaplain and the coordinator of the Interfaith Chaplaincy at Brandeis. According to a previous profile The Hoot published focused on Cuenin, his support for members of the LGBTQ+ community was clear. In 2012, The Hoot wrote that he “uses religion and his worldly observations to advocate a more open position [on LGBTQ+ marriage].” Notably, he also spoke out against Cardinal Bernard Law during the clergy abuse scandal 20 years ago. In 2005, he claims he was forced out of the church, as a result of his criticism of Law, whereupon he joined Brandeis. He served at Brandeis until 2015 when he suddenly departed due to medical reasons, according to a previous report in the Hoot.

In a statement to The Boston Globe, the reverend remarked that he had “no contact at all,” with the former Brandeis student who filed the lawsuit against him. The lawsuit holds that Cuenin and the student went to their one-bed hotel room 10 years ago, where “the younger man told Cuenin he would sleep on the floor so the priest could use the bed, and Cuenin proceeded to drink alcohol in front of him and disclosed ‘using Viagra to watch pornography.’” Later that night, the lawsuit alleges that “Cuenin sexually abused, sexually assaulted, and made sexual contact” with the student. In a statement to the New York Post, Cuenin “denied drinking booze and claims of sexual talk or contact” but admitted that other details of the trip were true. The lawyer representing the former student said “it’s unfortunate that Father Cuenin didn’t look in the mirror when he was demanding Cardinal Law resign,” in a brief statement to The Globe.