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2020

Allegations of Sexual Abuse Emerge Against Two Priests Who Served in the Diocese of Greensburg, PA

December 16, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits

Allegations of sexual abuse by two priests who served in the Greensburg Diocese were brought to light recently by the State Attorney General’s office and the diocese itself. Father Emil Payer’s name was released by the diocese as part of a report by Bishop Edward Malesic. The report stated that Payer’s name was being added to the diocese’s list of priests who served within the diocese and had one or more “credible and substantiated” allegations of child sexual abuse brought against them. The second priest, Father Andrew M. Kawecki, was arrested and charged with several sexual abuse crimes against a former altar boy.

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Judge Rules Clergy Abuse Survivors Can File Lawsuits Against Archdiocese of Santa Fe

November 23, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

Bankruptcy Judge David T. Thuma is overseeing the Chapter 11 reorganization of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Thuma’s recent ruling would allow lawyers for clergy sex abuse survivors to file lawsuits against the diocese claiming it fraudulently transferred an estimated $150 million to avoid paying it to survivors. Lawyers for survivors allege the transfer of Archdiocese real estate and assets to parishes is an attempt to avoid bigger payouts to victims.

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Number of Clergy Abuse Lawsuits Filed in Pennsylvania Surge

November 20, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

Over the last few years, many states have passed reform bills to help survivors of childhood sexual abuse hold their abusers, and the institutions responsible for the abuse, accountable. Several states, including New York and California, have passed laws setting up what are commonly referred to as ‘revival windows.’ These ‘revival windows’ create a time frame for previously expired claims to be brought on behalf of the survivor.

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Lexington KY Diocese Releases Accused Priest List

November 19, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits

The Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky released a list of 20 priests who served in the diocese and have been credibly accused of sexually abusing a minor. The list was compiled after an independent investigation that reviewed all priest and church files, among other documents. The diocese notes in its official report that “the investigators were granted unlimited and unfettered access to all files and documents, all personnel, and all policies and procedures”.

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Concordia Preparatory School Student Alleging Sexual Assault

November 12, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits

A federal lawsuit filed by a former Concordia Preparatory School student contains several sexual assault allegations dating back to 2018 when she was a student. The lawsuit alleges the school looked the other way and failed to act even though the student repeatedly reported the incidents. The alleged assaults took place at the private school in Towson, MD, just north of Baltimore.

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Diocese of Covington, KY Release List of Accused Clergy

November 9, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

The Diocese of Covington, Kentucky has released a list of priests who have served in its diocese and have been credibly accused of sexual abuse. The list comes after two former FBI agents spent almost a full year reviewing diocese records dating back to 1950. The comprehensive list contains the names of 59 priests and 31 others affiliated with the diocese dating back almost 70 years.

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Survivor Payments Suspended by Camden Diocese IVCP

November 5, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

Survivors who chose to seek clergy abuse compensation from the Diocese of Camden through the Independent Victim Compensation Program (“IVCP”) will have to wait a little longer. In July, the diocese suspended making new payments through its Independent Victim Compensation Program (“IVCP”). Camden diocese officials told program administrators Kenneth R. Feinberg and Camille Biros the suspension was necessary because of a “precipitous decline in revenue resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic”.

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How Long Do I Have to File a Clergy Abuse Lawsuit in New Jersey?

November 4, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

How long you have to file a clergy abuse lawsuit in New Jersey is a common question. For some New Jersey clergy abuse survivors, it may take years, even decades to recall the abuse since traumatic events suffered as a child are often suppressed. Even those who haven’t blocked those memories often still need many years to process the pain and receive treatment or counseling before they are ready to share their stories.

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New York’s Diocese of Rochester Files for Bankruptcy

October 30, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

In September of 2019, the Diocese of Rochester filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Rochester. At the time of the filing, the petition noted the Diocese had $50-$100 million in assets, with liability estimates totaling $100 to $500 million. The Diocese of Rochester was the first New York diocese to choose Chapter 11 reorganization, however the Dioceses of Syracuse, Buffalo and Rockville Centre have all since filed as well. The Rochester diocese covers 12 upstate New York counties where an estimated 360,000 Catholics live.

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Pontifical Secrecy Rule Lifted in Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases

October 26, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

In December of 2019 the Vatican issued an instruction called On the Confidentiality of Legal Proceedings which essentially removed the pontifical secrecy rule related to clergy sexual abuse or misconduct cases. The directive by the Vatican should help ease communication between church officials and civil authorities around the globe regarding abuse cases.

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Connecticut Diocese Resolves Clergy Abuse Case

October 23, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Religious Institutions Sexual Abuse & Assault

Rev. James Kowalski, the former dean of New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, reached an agreement with the Episcopal Church in Connecticut to resolve an allegation of clergy sexual abuse against him which dates back to 1984. A young woman alleged Kowalski sexually abused her when he came to visit her during her freshman year at college. Kowalski’s connection to the alleged victim started when he was a newly ordained priest at Trinity Episcopal Church in Newtown, Connecticut, when the complainant was in middle school. At the time of the alleged abuse, Kowalski was serving at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Hartford.

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New York’s Rockville Centre Diocese Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

October 22, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

The Rockville Centre Diocese in New York, which covers the Long Island area, and is one of the largest dioceses in the country serving 1.4 million Catholics, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. The petition was filed on October 1 at the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The filing was done to help the diocese manage legal expenses and facilitate settlements with sexual abuse survivors.

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Lawyers Battle to Properly Value Dozens of Buffalo Diocese’s Properties

October 21, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

The Diocese of Buffalo filed for bankruptcy in February of this year in the wake of mounting clergy sexual abuse claims. The diocese opted for bankruptcy protection after seeing no other viable option to continue operating given the potential total future obligations the pending sexual abuse lawsuits could entail. The diocese continues to believe that bankruptcy doesn’t hurt abuse survivors, but only helps them by creating a compensation process that equally divides up funds among all abuse survivors, instead of favoring those who filed first.

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How Long do I have to File a Clergy Abuse Lawsuit in Illinois?

October 14, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

How long you have to file a clergy abuse lawsuit in Illinois is a common question. For some Illinois clergy abuse survivors, it may take years, even decades, to recall the abuse since traumatic events suffered as a child are often suppressed. Even survivors who haven’t repressed those memories often still need many years to process the pain and receive treatment or counseling before they are ready to share their stories.

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How Long do I have to File a Clergy Abuse Lawsuit in California?

October 2, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

How long you have to file a clergy abuse lawsuit in California is a common question. For some California clergy abuse survivors, it may take years, even decades to recall the abuse since traumatic events suffered as a child are often suppressed. Even those who haven’t repressed those memories often still need many years to process the pain and receive treatment or counseling before they are ready to share their stories.

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Lawsuit Alleges Former Cardinal McCarrick Involved in ‘Sex Ring’

September 30, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

A lawsuit has been filed in New Jersey Superior Court against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick for what’s being called a ‘sex ring’. The lawsuit is being brought by one of the survivors, who chose to remain anonymous, but is referenced as “Doe 14” in court documents. The complaint alleges Doe 14 was groomed to be part of a sex ring scheme that was headed up by then Bishop McCarrick. The complaint notes the scheme perpetuated over dozens of years and included multiple minors, some of which were seminarians, or those studying to become priests.

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Over $800k Awarded to British Columbia Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivor

September 22, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

A British Columbia Supreme Court judge awarded clergy abuse survivor Rosemary Anderson $844,140 on August 25th, 2020 at the conclusion of her case. After the passing of her father in 1976, Rosemary Anderson sought out the Roman Catholic church for comfort. She was only 26. It was during that time she was sexually assaulted by priest Erlindo “Lindo” Molon. In her lawsuit against the Kamloops Roman Catholic Diocese, she claimed Erlindo Molon raped her 75 -100 times over many months.

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Delay in California Clergy Abuse Trial Due to Coronavirus

September 16, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

In a July ruling, a California judge has delayed a court case involving the sexual abuse of two undisclosed plaintiffs, John R.R. Doe and John R.F. Doe. The cases will not proceed as scheduled in October, but instead will be rescheduled for March 2021. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Sotelo cites the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason. Disruption in the court system isn’t isolated to California. Recently the Diocese of Albany was flooded with sexual abuse lawsuits after a nearly three-month delay in courts due to the Coronavirus. The California delay nevertheless pushes back potential justice for what started several years ago.

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Servants of Paraclete in New Mexico Plagued with Long History of Pedophile Priests

August 11, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

The Servants of Paraclete has asked a New Mexico court to dismiss a lawsuit involving David Holley and child molestation. The response states “the complaint fails to state claims, in whole or in part, upon which relieve can be granted as a matter of law”. While the merits of this particular dismissal request will play out in the court, there was a history of pedophile priests plaguing this particular facility.

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Allegations of Sexual Abuse Against Bishop Weldon Deemed ‘Credible’

August 10, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

In June 2020, retired Judge Peter Velis, alongside the Archbishop of the Springfield Diocese, Mitchell T. Rozanski, released a report outlining the investigation of sexual abuse claims against the late Bishop Christopher Weldon, a well-known Springfield Diocese bishop. The report deemed the allegations against Weldon to be ‘credible’. Weldon served the Diocese of Springfield from 1950-1977 as bishop and passed away in 1982.

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Clergy Sex Abuse Cover-up Sparks Lawsuit Against Diocese of Erie

July 30, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

A lawsuit was filed in early July of this year against the Diocese of Erie, alleging fraudulent concealment. A woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, referred to here as ‘Jane Doe’, has alleged that she was molested by Rev. Michael G. Barletta in the 1970s. At the center of the lawsuit is her claim that the Erie Diocese not only covered-up previous allegations against Rev. Barletta, but, more disturbingly, let him remain in active ministry which allowed him the access to later molest her. Her lawsuit explains that she had no idea of the Erie Diocese’s history of protecting child predators until the statewide grand jury report was released in 2018

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New Jersey Extended the Civil Statute of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse Claims

July 29, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

On May 13, 2019, the Governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, signed S477 which extended the statute of limitations in civil actions for sexual abuse claims.

The Act extends the ability of a child victim to file a lawsuit claim until they reach 55 years old, or 7 years from the date they became aware of the abuse, whichever is later. This is a significant step forward.

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US Catholic Bishops’ Report Shows Clergy Sex Abuse Claims Tripled in 2019

July 28, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

In June 2020, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released the “Report on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People”. This independent audit started in 2002 and has been updated several times since then. The findings noted covers July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. The Catholic Church will say it has made strides to curb clergy abuse, but it also recognizes it has a long way to go.

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Diocese of Trenton Facing Multiple Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

July 14, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

The Diocese of Trenton is facing at least 10 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse; all filed by the same attorney. Over the almost last two decades since the Boston Globe expose in 2002, the public has become more aware of the Roman Catholic Church’s ongoing cover-up of child abuse. What the Diocese of Trenton is facing is the increased pressure from state officials , state office, and plaintiff attorneys seeking accountability and justice.

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Former New Jersey Priest Accused A Second Time of Sexual Abuse

July 13, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio is defending himself again against a second allegation of sexual abuse while serving in the Archdiocese of Newark. The first accusation came in 2019. Mark Matzek, a then 56-year-old man, accused DiMarzio and a second priest, Rev. Albert Mark (deceased) of repeated abuse while he was an altar boy at St. Nicholas Church and a student at St. Nicholas School. The second accusation of abuse was made by Samier Tadros, 46. On March 9, the Associated Press reported that Tadros’s attorney notified the Newark Archdiocese’s attorneys of the accusation. Samier Tadros claims he was sexually abused repeatedly at Holy Rosary Church in Jersey City when he was 6 years old.

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Diocese of Providence Challenges Rhode Island’s New Sexual Abuse Law

July 6, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

In May of 2019 The Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to extend the statute of limitations for victims of childhood sexual abuse. Jim Scanlan, who is a sexual abuse survivor, noted “This was about protecting future generations of kids, as well as enabling survivors who haven’t come forward or are trying to come forward to have a voice.”

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Lawsuit in New Mexico Alleges Pedophile Priest was Transferred to other Parishes where Abuse Continued

July 6, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

A lawsuit, filed by a ‘John Doe’ in order to protect the victim’s identity, was filed in Bernalillo County, New Mexico against two Alamogordo parishes, as well as dioceses within the states of New Mexico and Massachusetts. The lawsuit alleges the victim was sexually abused by a former priest, Rev. David Holley, and that the diocese and parishes included in the lawsuit are partly responsible because they allowed a known predator to prey on young children.

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North Carolina Passes Sexual Abuse Law Reforms Helping Survivors

July 1, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits

In November 2019, Governor Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 199 into law. In the signing of the bill, which went into effect December 1, 2019, North Carolina took a positive step forward in protecting sexual abuse and assault victims. The bill closed loopholes like sexual contact under the premise of medical treatment, or consent revocation involving incapacitation by alcohol. These types of loopholes made it harder to prosecute sexual predators.

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87 People Claim Sexual Abuse by Colorado Diocese Priests

June 30, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

In October of 2019 an Independent Compensation Program (ICP) in Colorado was finalized allowing those sexually abused as minors by clergy in the Dioceses of Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo the ability to file claims. The unveiling of the program coincided with the Attorney General of Colorado releasing the names 43 priests accused of sexual abuse within the Catholic Dioceses of Colorado.

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Charlotte Dioceses Sued for Negligence; Claims Alleged Church Should have Known Priests were Predators

June 26, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

Last November, North Carolina legislators opened a 2-year ‘revival window’ allowing survivors of sexual abuse, whose claims were previously time barred, the ability to file a claim against their abusers. The new window has allowed two men, who remain anonymous, the ability to refile their claims after their original cases were dismissed in 2014. At that time, the diocese successfully argued that the claims were past their statute of limitations.

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Priest Abuse Case Against Archdiocese of Los Angeles Settled for $1.9 million

June 24, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

Catholic priest Lawrence Lovell, or ‘Father Larry”, was at the center of a priest sex abuse case filed against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Claretian Missionaries which resulted in a $1.9 million dollar settlement. The victim, Richard Barrios, said the sexual abuse occurred from 1982-1984 when he was an altar boy at San Gabriel Mission Church.

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Los Angeles Archdiocese Being Sued for Sexual Abuse by Adult Man

June 11, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

A new law passed in the state of California provides victims with a window to file claims of childhood sexual abuse that were previously time barred. One man is taking advantage of that law and in February of 2020, filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Archdiocese. The victim alleges that Father Michael Baker sexually abused him repeatedly from age 6 to 10 years old and that the Cardinal at the time, Roger Mahoney, covered it up. The plaintiff’s attorney, John Manly, stated that the Cardinal tried to hide what was going on with Father Baker by transferring him to other parishes rather than reporting the criminal behavior to the police.

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Brentwood California Police Department Settles Sexual Assault Lawsuit for $1 Million

June 3, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits

In May 2019, a sexual assault lawsuit was filed against a former Brentwood police officer. The claim alleged that the victim was raped by her superior officer in September 2017 at a Reno hotel during a conference they were attending for police training. In November 2017 the woman filed an internal claim with the Brentwood police department. However, at the time, she did not pursue criminal charges citing a ‘fear it would be too much to handle emotionally’. When the Brentwood police chief and captain were made aware, they opened a “supervisory inquiry” instead of an internal affairs investigation.

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Archdiocese of Chicago Settles Clergy Sex Abuse Claim for $8 million

June 3, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

In an out of court settlement, the Archdiocese of Chicago agreed to pay $8 million to settle a claim alleging sexual abuse of minor. The settlement stemmed from allegations of sexual abuse in the 1990’s between Rev. John Calicott and an undisclosed victim. At the survivor’s request, his identity was not made public. The accused priest of the Holy Angels Church, Rev. John Calicott, denied the allegations and sought the name of his accuser. His request was denied.

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