Personal Injury Law

Catholic Priest Files Sexual Abuse Suit Against Another Priest

By guest-writer

The past decade has seen a rise in the number of sexual abuse lawsuits filed against members of the clergy, particularly Roman Catholic priests. These lawsuits typically involved younger plaintiffs suing priests for wrongs committed years ago.

A recent lawsuit filed in Oregon, however, pits a current priest against a former priest who is now deceased. In the complaint, the priest, identified as Father X, claims he was repeatedly abused in the 1970s by Father Emmanuel Clark at Mt. Angel Abbey in Oregon.

According to sources, Father X is seeking more than $1 million in compensation for acts occurring while he was a high school student at Mt. Angel Preparatory School.

In his sexual abuse claim, Father X alleges that Clark hugged Father X while his pants were unzipped, pressed Father X’s head to his chest, and told him that his heart beat with love for the young student.

Sources indicate that Clark also spoke frankly about sex with the student and encouraged him to take trips to adult book stores. In addition, Clark gave Father X suggestive pet names and often engaged in lengthy hugs with the young man.

In response to such treatment, Father X claims that he struggled for years after the incidents. The personal injury lawsuit alleges that he suffered physical and emotional pain as well as shame, depression, eating disorders, and sexual orientation confusion.

The attorney for Father X claims that he is suing a few decades after the incidents because he believes in holding the church accountable for Clark’s actions. In addition, Father X feels the lawsuit is an important part of his own personal healing.

One of the attorneys for the plaintiff also stated that Father X is the third person to come forwards with a sexual abuse complaint against this particular abbey.

The attorney for the abbey, on the other hand, is skeptical of Father X’s claims, saying that Clark’s act of hugging the student did not amount to sexual abuse, and questioning the plaintiff’s decision to wait 36 years before filing the lawsuit.

Adding a further odd twist to the story, Father X later went to Mt. Angel seminary and officially joined the priesthood in 1986.

While stories detailing sexual abuse scandals have increasingly appeared in mainstream media outlets, the crime continues to be a silent epidemic.

Victims of sexual abuse are often reluctant to report the crimes due to the sensitive and private nature of sexual abuse. In addition, if the victims are young, they may not have the ability or knowledge of the gravity of the crime to report the incidents.

Sexual abuse, however, is considered a personal injury and former victims of abuse may be able to seek justice through a personal injury lawsuit.

To learn more about seeking justice through a sexual abuse lawsuit, contact a local personal injury lawyer today.

Full post as published by The Injury Blog on February 03, 2011 (boomark / email).