CHICAGO (IL)
Daily Southtown
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
By Cathleen Falsani
Special to the Daily Southtown
Hoping to force Catholic officials in Chicago to open secret files and release a complete list of priests accused of sexually abusing children since 1950, a lawyer for clergy abuse victims filed a class-action lawsuit Tuesday against the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Attorney Jeff Anderson brought the lawsuit on behalf of two clients: "Mother Doe 100," the parent of an 11-year-old Chicago boy who Monday told police and prosecutors that he had been molested by the Rev. Daniel McCormack; and Ken Kaczmarz, a 35-year-old suburban man who says he was molested by Augustinian-order priest John D. Murphy at Chicago's St. Rita of Cascia parish 30 years ago.
An archdiocesan spokesman declined to comment on the lawsuit.
In 2004, archdiocesan officials said there were 55 priests with credible allegations of abuse of minors against them, but they have refused to publish a complete list of the alleged abusers' names.
McCormack, 37, was charged Jan. 21 with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse for allegedly fondling two boys at St. Agatha church, the Chicago parish he had pastored since 2000.