PORTLAND (OR)
The Oregonian
Friday, August 19, 2005
STEVE WOODWARD
For the second time in less than a week, the Vatican's top-ranking American has been served a subpoena commanding him to testify in cases involving the Archdiocese of Portland.
On Saturday, a process server dressed in a borrowed Armani suit sneaked past police and protesters into a celebrity-studded tribute dinner for Archbishop William J. Levada in San Francisco. His goal: to hand Levada legal papers calling for his deposition in January in a case alleging, among other things, intentional infliction of emotional distress by a Portland parish priest and a parish school principal.
In that case, Paul and Deborah DuFresne allege they and their son, a former student at St. Thomas More School in Southwest Portland, suffered emotional distress because of "secret meetings" the Rev. Michael Johnston held with him. They feared the potential for child sexual abuse, according to their lawsuit.
Archdiocese lawyers have said the boy was expelled from school for bullying other students.
The DuFresnes' suit was frozen when the Portland archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July 2004. Earlier this month, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Perris granted the Du- Fresnes' request to depose Levada.
On Saturday, the DuFresnes' process server, Chris Williamson, said he bought a $150 dinner ticket and, after listening to three hours of accolades for Levada, quietly handed him the subpoena.