FLORIDA
Newsday
By Mark I. Pinsky
Sentinel Staff Writer
July 12, 2005
The Catholic dioceses of Orlando and St. Augustine have agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle lawsuits by three men who say they were sexually abused as altar boys more than 30 years ago.
In their complaint, the three men alleged that two Central Florida priests, Vernon Uhran and Hubert Reason, abused them at summer camp at the San Pedro Retreat Center in Winter Park and at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Altamonte Springs.
Through their lawyers, the three victims declined to comment on the settlement. However, the lawsuit alleged that all of the incidents occurred in the 1960s at the church rectory, at the camp, and in hotel rooms during recruiting trips for the camps.
On May 1, Orlando Bishop Thomas Wenski brought the accusations to the attention of three Central Florida parishes where the priests had served: St. Mary Magdalen; Church of the Resurrection in Lakeland; and St. Theresa Catholic Church in Belleview, in Marion County. Wenski urged any parishioners who had information about the two men to come forward.