SPRINGFIELD (MA)
The Republican
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
By BILL ZAJAC
wzajac@repub.com
SPRINGFIELD - Two brothers with clergy sexual abuse suits pending against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield said the bishop told them recently that he was unaware that alleged victims such as themselves had not been invited to settle suits when the diocese settled with 45 others for $7.7 million in August 2004.
The Most Rev. Timothy A. McDonnell, the bishop of the diocese, denied the brothers' claim, saying he simply was confused by the men's change in legal counsel, according to his spokesman.
The 2004 settlement was limited to clients of Greenfield lawyer John J. Stobierski. The outstanding suits from other lawyers' clients, new suits filed by Stobierski and claims by those not represented by lawyers are now part of complicated litigation that includes a legal fight between the diocese and its insurance carriers to determine the insurers' financial responsibility in the abuse cases.