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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Diocese of Phoenix Faces Clergy Sex Abuse Lawsuits
January 13, 2021 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
In 2020, child sexual abuse claims against two priests who served in the Diocese of Phoenix made headlines. Alleged claims of sexual abuse of children against Father John “Jack” Spaulding and Father John P. Doran are a bleak reminder of the scale of clergy abuse not only within the Diocese of Phoenix, but the Catholic church as a whole.
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Survivors Step Forward Alleging Sexual Abuse at St. Anthony’s Home for Boys
January 11, 2021 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
Three separate lawsuits have been filed by former residents against St. Anthony’s Home for Boys alleging childhood sexual abuse. The orphanage, which housed more than 6,000 boys in its 68 years of operation, was run for many years by the Sisters of St. Francis and closed its doors in the early 1980s.
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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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How Long do I have to File a Clergy Abuse Lawsuit?
December 2, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
Each state sets their own laws which govern how long a survivor has to file a claim, and the differences between states can be dramatic. Many clergy sexual abuse survivors are concerned about how long they have to file a lawsuit. Find general and state specific information regarding laws for filing a claim.
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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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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 Child Victims Act Extended – Again
October 30, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits
For the second time since the law was initially passed in 2019, New York’s Child Victims Act (“CVA”) has been extended, providing more time for child sex abuse survivors to pursue legal claims, both criminally and civilly. The extension moves the new deadline to August 14, 2021.
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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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Defrocked Priest Ronald Paquin Sentence Upheld In Maine
October 15, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court upheld 10 of the 11 convictions against defrocked priest Ronald Paquin, who is currently serving out a 16-year sentence in Maine. Ronald Paquin was charged with abusing two boys during trips to Maine in the 1980s.
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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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Additional Clergy Abuse Cases Filed Against Archdiocese of Newark
October 7, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
The Archdiocese of Newark is facing nine new sex abuse lawsuits that were recently filed. In total, four priests and three clerics from two different religious orders were named. One of the clerics, from the Xaverian Brothers, was accused of for the first time.
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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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