Allentown Diocese, a Catholic Diocese in Pennsylvania, has been hit with a major lawsuit filed in New Jersey, alleging that it failed to a young boy who was abused by priests for years.

The lawsuit alleges that a priest from the Allentown Diocese, Rev. Robert G. Cofenas, began sexually abusing the plaintiff (identified by the pseudonym John Doe) when he was only 7 years old, serving as an altar boy at Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church in Reading, Pennsylvania. The abuse continued for decades, the lawsuit says, until the victim reached his thirties.

According to the lawsuit, Cofenas brought the boy to the attention of other priests as a potential victim for them as well. The lawsuit names two more Allentown Diocese priests who then allegedly assaulted him.

One of these two was a priest who, until the filing of this New Jersey lawsuit, had not been publicly accused of sexual abuse. The first, Rev. Stephen Halabura, retired in 2008 and, in 2019, self-reported an incident of abuse. The second, Rev. James Agosta, was not included on a list of credibly accused priests from the diocese, since the one previous complaint against him was made anonymously and, since Agosta died in 2005, the complaint could not be properly investigated.

Cofenas, however, had been previously publicly accused. In the massive statewide Pennsylvania grand jury report that made headlines in 2018, Cofenas was one of the 300 predator priests identified and accused of sexual assault.

The grand jury investigation was a two-year endeavor that identified 1,000 children as victims, but noted that likely thousands more had suffered.

“Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing; they hid it all. For decades,” wrote the grand jury in its report.

Church officials not only failed to warn their congregations and communities about their abusive priests, but actively covered up these allegations and records for decades.

It wasn’t until the publication of the grand jury report that the survivor John Doe became aware that church officials already knew about Cofenas being a predator. In fact, the grand jury report said that church officials in the Allentown Diocese knew about inappropriate sexual contact with children dating back to as early as 1979. Cofenas also admitted to sexually abusing boys in 1981 and 1986, the report said, but church officials continued to keep this information hidden until as recently as 2004.

Cofenas was removed from his position as a priest in 2005. He died in 2013.

This lawsuit’s John Doe is now 56 years old. The lawsuit alleges that although the sexual abuse stopped in his thirties, its effects are long-lasting, and he continues to suffer from serious psychological problems, leading him to view his life as an “abject failure,” the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit was filed in New Jersey after a 2019 New Jersey law extended the window in which sexual abuse survivors could file civil lawsuits. For those who were previously unable to sue, a two-year period was created allowing room for litigation. The New Jersey law went into effect on Dec. 1, 2019.

Filing a New Jersey Catholic Sex Abuse Lawsuit

A growing number of victims of childhood sex abuse are coming forward with their allegations, especially as some states, including New Jersey, temporarily lift restrictions and extend the filing windows for sexual abuse lawsuits.

Many of these lawsuits have been filed over sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. Victims have made allegations against church leaders like priests and Catholic school teachers, among others, and some have also made claims against the church for covering up evidence of abuse.

If you are a victim of Catholic sexual abuse in New Jersey—even if that abuse occurred years or decades ago—you may be eligible to join the growing number of Catholic priest sex abuse cases and receive compensation.

On top of litigation, many Catholic dioceses have begun compensation programs for victims who have been part of the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. Talking to an experienced attorney can help you determine the right course of action for you and your case.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, especially while dealing with something as traumatic as childhood sex abuse, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.