June 13, 2005

Bishop has others' respect

COVINGTON (KY)
Cincinnati Post

By Kevin Eigelbach
Post staff reporter

When Roger Foys became the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington in 2002, he had little experience with lawsuits involving priests who molested children.

In fact, he told reporters then that the Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio, where he was serving as vicar general, or second-in-command, had not faced any.

Foys soon had a big one to face, however, when Cincinnati lawyer Stan Chesley filed a class-action suit against the Diocese of Covington, a suit Foys agreed to settle early this month.

Foys had his baptism under fire in the nation's first class-action suit on behalf of victims of priest sexual abuse, and agreed to the nation's largest settlement, potentially $120 million.

Through his spokesman, Tim Fitzgerald, Foys declined an interview about the negotiating process.

Foys told the diocesan newspaper, The Messenger, he was glad for a settlement that helped victims but kept the parishes and administrative functions of the diocese intact.

Posted by kshaw at June 13, 2005 08:09 AM