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The Holy See Sexual Abuse Class Action Overview:
- Who: Victims of sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy members have filed a class action lawsuit against worldwide government of the Catholic Church, the Holy See
- Why: The class action lawsuit alleges that the religious government enacted a policy of secrecy and concealment, allowing Bishops to commit acts of sexual abuse against children while protecting perpetrators from legal action
- Where: The Holy See abuse lawsuit was filed in New York on August 13, and the group of sexual assault survivors are suing on behalf of anyone else in New York who is victim-survivor of childhood sexual abuse by Catholic clergy
The Holy See, the worldwide government of the Catholic Church, enacted a policy of secrecy and concealment that allowed Bishops to commit ‘tortious’ acts of sexual abuse against children while protecting perpetrators from legal action, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
The Holy See abuse lawsuit was filed in New York on August 13 by lead Plaintiffs Neil M. Curtis, Robert R. Lisiecki, Jacqueline Regan, Jordan Taylor, Desiree Callender, and Michael Gill, all victims of sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy members.
The group allege that the Holy See’s mandatory secrecy policy — imposed on threat of excommunication — bound Bishops and Dioceses for decades if not centuries, and because of it, child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy developed and continued as a pervasive and systemic problem in the Catholic Church, in which perpetrators were protected and victims were silenced.
Because of the policy, the group says they all suffered physical, psychological, and emotional injuries as a result of conduct which constitutes a sexual offense on a minor.
61-year-old Neil M. Curtis says in the Holy See class action lawsuit that he was sexually abused from 1961 to 1962 when he was around 11 and 12 years old by Father Gennaro L. Gentile, who was assigned to St. Mary’s Church in New York. Father Gentile coached the Catholic Youth Organization basketball team at the Church, where Curtis played.
Robert R. Lisiecki, 57, alleges that he was sexually abused when he was between 12 and 15 years old from 1977 to 1978 by Father Edmond Parrakow when he was a visiting priest to St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Church in New York. Lisiecki was an altar boy and had a student job in the Church, giving Father Parrakow access to groom him and commit sexual abuse.
55-year-old Jacqueline Regan says that she was sexually abused when she was between 7 and 13 years old from 1973 to 1979 by Father Edmund Netter when he was assigned to St. Anthony’s Parish in New York. Father Netter was Regan’s coach and teacher while preparing for her First Communion classes, which gave him access to her for grooming and sexual abuse, the Holy See sexual abuse lawsuit reads.
Jordan Taylor, 59, alleges in the Holy See class action lawsuit that she was sexually abused when she was between 6 and 7 years old by Father Edward Dobransky who was assigned to St. Adalbert’s Church in New York. Father Dobransky established a counseling relationship with Taylor, and Taylor confided in him that she was being abused by her foster father. Father Dobransky then seized on this counseling relationship to sexually abuse Jordan himself, Taylor alleges.
Michael Gill, 58, says in the claim that he was sexually abused when he was between 12 and 13 years old in 7th grade by Father Michael O’Herlihy, who was assigned to St. Jude School and Church in upper Manhattan. Father O’Herlihy groomed Gill and developed a mentoring relationship with him, which led to Father O’Herlihy’s acts of sexual abuse, the claim reads.
The Bishops all have multiple allegations of child sexual abuse against them, and are on the Archdiocese of New York’s published list of priests against whom credible allegations of sexual abuse have been made, the class action lawsuit states.
According to the sexual abuse lawsuit, the Holy See has known for centuries that Catholic priests were using their positions and roles in Catholic parishes and schools to sexually molest children.
“At all relevant times, this was a widespread, ubiquitous and systemic problem in the Catholic Church.”
The sexual abuse lawsuit says that the Holy See has ultimate authority in the investigation and response to allegations of child sexual abuse by Catholic Priests.
“The office of the Pope promulgates and officially publishes rules, procedure and regulation that pertain to the investigation and response to reports of sexual abuse. The application of these rules is not optional but mandatory for all Bishops,” the Holy See lawsuit reads.
It adds that the strict secrecy mandate was contrary to applicable law and legal duty requiring that allegations of clergy-on-child sexual abuse be reported to law enforcement.
“For example, the Bishops who controlled Catholic parochial schools in their territory had a duty to report to law enforcement when they had reasonable cause to suspect that a child was abused or maltreated. This duty arose pursuant to law, including without limitation, New York Social Services Law.”
However, the sexual abuse class action lawsuit alleges that the Holy See was aware that a highly significant number of priests were engaging in sexual misconduct with children, and was trying to hide them from facing legal consequences.
“The priests who were serial child sex abusers, some of whom were eventually placed on Dioceses’ published lists of priests credibly accused of child sexual abuse, represent a phenomenon that was well known to the HOLY SEE.”
“These priest-perpetrators were enabled and emboldened by the mandatory secrecy policy in committing acts of child sexual abuse in their Dioceses, especially in connection with the Church’s youth-related functions and activities.”
The group of sexual assault survivors are suing on behalf of anyone else in New York who is victim-survivor of childhood sexual abuse by Catholic clergy. They are suing for negligence and violation of New York’s Child Victims Act. They seek certification of the Class, damages, legal fees and costs, and a jury trial.
The group is represented by Stuart S. Mermelstein and Jeff Herman of Herman Law.
The NY Bishop Sexual Abuse Class Action Lawsuit is Curtis, et al. v. The HOLY SEE a/k/a the APOSTOLIC SEE, Case No. 1:21-cv-06830 in the United States District Court Southern District of New York.
If you or a loved one was the victim of sexual abuse by a Catholic priest, nun, or another church leader, and you were previously unable to seek justice, you may qualify to file a New York Catholic Church sex abuse lawsuit. Learn more by filling out the free form on this page.
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What about Cleveland Ohio abuse ?????