According to NBC San Diego, a new civil lawsuit filed by three women against the San Diego diocese claims Catholic priest molestation by the late Monsignor Gregory Sheridan. Sheridan purportedly abused the women sexually when they were children in the 1960s. The complainants alleging Catholic priest molestation are Cathy R., Judith L.W., and a third woman using the pseudonym Jane Doe.

Although Sheridan passed away in the early 1990s, the San Diego diocese published his name on a list of clergy credibly accused of Catholic priest molestation in the fall of 2018. He had an extensive history of church ministry, having served St. Jude’s Parish for the 16 years between 1954 and 1970, and St. Peter’s Parish in Fallbrook for the next 13 years ending in 1983.

The Lawsuit Announcement

On Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, the civil lawsuit was announced in front of St. Joseph Cathedral to members of the press. The three women were present with their attorney. Counsel for the women spoke of the historic passage of California’s Assembly Bill (AB) 218, which was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom into law recently.

AB 218 formally extends the previously constrictive Statute of Limitations which only allowed child sexual abuse survivors to pursue reparations through the justice system until they reached the age of 26. The new parameters give survivors—often beset with psychological trauma that can block coming forward—another 14 years or until they turn 40 years old.

An additional part of AB 218 is a one-time opening of opportunity to seek redress for such violation no matter the victim’s current age. The opening, which is set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, will allow survivors to stake a legal claim against their molester or any institution which covered up its existence. The state of California, unlike other states opening similar ‘windows of opportunity’ for child abuse victims, will remain open for a full three years until Dec. 31, 2022.

The Diocese Responds

While the diocese hadn’t yet been served with regard to this new lawsuit, the NBC news source did indicate that a spokesperson encouraged them to report the abuse with law enforcement and file a claim with the Independent Victim Compensation Program (IVCP) of the diocese.

In a May 15, 2019 article posted by KPBS.org news, six Catholic dioceses including San Diego created IVCPs that victims can seek monies from “in return for them promising not to sue”. Other dioceses involved in this effort include Fresno, Orange, Sacramento, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles (archdiocese). The San Diego spokesperson for the diocese indicated that filing a claim wouldn’t necessitate giving up the right to sue later.

In a May 24, 2019 article posted by ABC10.com, it was questioned whether the creation of IVCPs is a calculated attempt to deprive victims of their rights right before those rights are expanding with multi-state efforts to address child victim issues. An agreement which must be signed by a claimant in an IVCP in New York clearly indicates that the person receiving compensation gives up the right to seek further legal redress against members of the clergy, parishes, schools, and institutions part of the Archdiocese of New York.

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