SIOUX CITY (IA)
Sioux City Journal
By Nick Hytrek, Journal staff writer
The Catholic Diocese of Sioux City has reached its 21st settlement in a series of sexual abuse lawsuits filed against it and a former priest.
Mary Ankenbrand's case was dismissed from Woodbury County District Court Thursday. Her attorney, Scott Rhinehart of Sioux City, said he could not disclose the settlement amount.
Jim Wharton, diocese director of communications, confirmed the settlement but did not comment on it.
Ankenbrand filed suit in April 2004, accusing the Rev. George McFadden of engaging in sex acts with her in the 1960's while he was the pastor of Sioux City's St. Francis of Assisi Church, which is now closed. Ankenbrand was under age 10 at the time.
The settlement is the 17th this year. In previous settlements, Rhinehart said his clients wanted to keep the settlement amounts confidential. The diocese has not released the individual amounts.
In a Diocese Review Board report released in February, the diocese said it settled 11 sexual abuse claims in 2004 for $805,000, with 60 percent of those costs being paid the by the diocese's insurance carrier. McFadden paid 5 percent of the remaining costs and the diocese used unrestricted endowment funds and estate gifts to pay the other 35 percent. Some of the claims were not lawsuits.