July 02, 2005

Diocese settles lawsuit alleging abuse by priest

IOWA
Des Moines Register

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City has settled the 22nd lawsuit alleging sexual abuse by a priest.

The case was dismissed this week in Woodbury County District Court after the woman who filed the complaint and diocese officials reached a confidential settlement.

A judge dismissed another lawsuit against the diocese last week, ruling that the accuser had not filed the suit before the statute of limitations expired. Three lawsuits involving victims referred to as John Doe remain pending against the diocese. No trial dates have been set.

The woman who filed the lawsuit in April claimed the Rev. George McFadden had sexual contact with her in the 1960s while he was the pastor of Sioux City's St. Francis of Assisi Church, which is now closed.

Posted by kshaw at July 2, 2005 08:08 AM