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	Sioux City Diocese Settles Sex Abuse Lawsuits Sioux City Journal [Sioux City IA] January 15, 2007 http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/01/15/news/latest_news/a9adcbd8b8ab31dc86257264006f17b9.txt Five sexual abuse lawsuits against the Diocese of Sioux City and a former priest have been settled. Three suits involving unnamed men referred to as John Doe were dismissed Thursday. A suit brought by Steven Bean was dismissed Dec. 29 and another filed by Kathleen Ryan was dismissed Jan. 5. Settlement amounts are confidential, said Sioux City attorney Scott Rhinehart, who represented Bean and Ryan. Alan Olson, of Des Moines, who represented the three anonymous plaintiffs, was out of the office this week and unavailable for comment. The diocese has reported that since 2004 it has settled lawsuits and claims that never resulted in lawsuits for more than $2.6 million. Diocese representatives could not be reached for comment on the recent settlements. In most of the lawsuits, plaintiffs said former priest George McFadden sexually abused them when they were in their early teens or younger. All lawsuits said the diocese knew of McFadden's behavior and covered up his actions by transferring him from parish to parish each time it learned of new allegations against him. McFadden is retired and lives in Indiana. He has been suspended of his priestly duties, and the Vatican has prohibited him from presenting himself as a priest.
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