ST. CLOUD (MN)
Grand Forks Herald
Associated Press
ST. CLOUD, Minn. - A woman who claimed she was sexually abused by a priest in the 1970s has reached a $17,500 settlement with the St. Cloud Diocese, acknowledging her case would have likely been thrown out since the alleged abuse happened long ago.
Susan Fuchs-Hoeschen, a former parishioner at St. Louis Church in Paynesville, Minn., claimed that former priest Donald Rieder sexually abused her in 1973.
The lawsuit originally named Rieder as a defendant, but he later was dropped from the case.
"I am pleased and realistic that hopefully other victims will come forward earlier so that they can be successfully litigated," Fuchs-Hoeschen said.