November 01, 2005

Church OKs $22 million for abuse victims

CONNECTICUT
New Haven Register

Robert Varley, Register Staff 11/01/2005

In what some are calling a move toward healing and recovery, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford has reached a $22 million settlement with 43 clergy sexual-abuse victims.

The settlement announced Monday covers alleged abuse by 14 priests from the 1960s to the early 1980s. Several had served in the New Haven area.

"It’s the first step toward bringing about healing, but acknowledges and deals with actions of priests that took place years ago," said the Rev. John P. Gatzak, spokesman for the archdiocese.

Archbishop Henry J. Mansell "expresses his deep sorrow for the destructive behavior that has been committed by a relatively small number of priests" and apologized to the victims, a statement said.

Named in the settlement are the Revs. Joseph Buckley, Stephen Crowley, Ivan Ferguson, Stephen Foley, Thomas Glynn, John Graham, Felix Maguire, Daniel McSheffery, Edward Muha, Louis Paturzo, Raymond Paul, William Przybylo, Kenneth Shiner and Monsignor Edward Reardon. Only Przybylo is still active in ministry.

Posted by kshaw at November 1, 2005 04:09 AM