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Diocese Denies Having Role in Identification of Plaintiff Peoria Journal Star March 7, 2008 http://www.pjstar.com/stories/030708/TRI_BG00CQRJ.045.php PEORIA - Catholic Diocese of Peoria officials said they took no part in a priest's effort to force a plaintiff in a sexual misconduct lawsuit to identify himself. At a news conference Wednesday, representatives of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests castigated Monsignor Norman Goodman for requesting that Richard Jones, who claims Goodman abused him, be identified in court records. SNAP also said the Diocese of Peoria should have compelled Goodman not to take such an action. In a fax sent to the Journal Star on Thursday, diocesan chancellor and attorney Patricia Gibson said the diocese has no authority over Goodman in the matter. "The Diocese of Peoria did not take part in any way in the court motion asking that one of Goodman's accusers disclose his identity in the court records," Gibson said in the statement. "Norman Goodman, through his own legal counsel and acting solely on his own behalf, requested such action." Gibson also pointed out that Bishop Daniel Jenky has "removed Norman Goodman from any public ministry." "Norman Goodman is a removed priest and is no longer under the authority or jurisdiction of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria," Gibson said. "Goodman made such requests on his own accord and through his own legal counsel. Bishop Jenky has no ability to instruct Goodman on his own personal defense in regard to these matters." |
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