RHODE ISLAND
Providence Journal
01:00 AM EDT on Monday, July 18, 2005
BY JENNIFER LEVITZ
Journal Staff Writer
When the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence reached a $14.3-million settlement with some three dozen people in 2002, it appeared that the priest-abuse scandal was over in Rhode Island.
It's not.
Since that much-heralded resolution, which followed 10 years of fierce litigation, the diocese has quietly reached out-of-court settlements on another 50 sexual-abuse claims, for a total of $2 million, a diocesan official confirmed last week.
The diocese, in fact, has set up a formal process to hear new claims; validate them; and offer payments of $10,000 to $50,000, said Monsignor Paul D. Theroux, the bishop's chief of staff.
Those with legitimate claims can either accept $25,000 or enter arbitration. Those who choose arbitration -- and most do -- sit across from the monsignor and tell their accounts.
"It certainly, for me, is the most personally draining experience I've ever had in my life," said Monsignor Theroux, who is tall and gentle-spoken, and has been a priest for 28 years. "I've said to some priest friends, 'believe me, if we could just finish it, be all over, no one would be happier than I.' "