By Jessica Van Gilder
The Spectator
January 14, 2009
http://media.www.su-spectator.com/media/storage/paper948/news/2008/12/03/News/Sundborg.In.A.Statement.Allegations.Are.False-3585750.shtml
 |
| Students and reporters gather around sex abuse victims and their attorneys as they announce a lawsuit that names Seattle U President Stephen Sundborg as a defendant. |
Sex abuse victims share stories at press conference
UPDATE, JAN. 14, 2:22 P.M.--After Seattle University President Stephen Sundborg, S.J. was named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed late Tuesday accusing him and other Jesuits of covering up the sexual abuse of 43 Native Alaskan children, the victim's attorneys said there will be more lawsuits to come.
A complaint has been filed against the Society of Jesus-Oregon Province, the Society of Jesus-Alaska as well as the Father General Adolfo Nicolas, S.J. Sundborg was named as a defendant among fellow Jesuits Henry G. Hargreaves and Anton Smario.
In response to the allegations Sundborg gave the following statement Wed., Jan. 14: "The allegations brought against me are false. I firmly deny them. I want the victims and the entire community to know that. The complaint filed by the plaintiffs' lawyers represents an unprincipled and irresponsible attack on my reputation. Let me be clear-my commitment to justice and reconciliation for all victims remains steadfast. The sexual abuse by Catholic priests is one of the most shameful episodes in the history of our church. I will continue to work toward the goal of bringing healing to all victims."
"We're here today to announce the first series of lawsuits we're filing over the next few weeks against the Society of Jesus on behalf of over a 100 additional victims of child sexual abuse in Alaska. We believe at this point […] we can empirically and logically prove that Alaska was being used as a dumping ground for pedophile abuse," explained Kenneth Roosa, an attorney representing the abuse victims.
Starting in the 1940s until the most recent case in 2001, Roosa referred to Alaska as a "pedophile's paradise."
Four victims of the alleged sexual abuse spoke at the press conference on their personal experience. Florence Kenny, now 74-years-old, said she is speaking out for the first time in 60 years.
"I want to speak for all the ones who couldn't speak […] I'm speaking now because there's always a time, an end to silence and an end to secrets," she said.
Fellow victim, Rena Abouchuk Firey, cried as she read the letter she wrote to her village priest stating she never wished to be alone with him again.
Abouchuk's brother, Alphonsus, said he received quarters each time he was abused.
During the 60-year time period of the alleged abuses, Roosa noted the 15-year period between 1960 to 1975 had the highest record of sexual abuse cases.
In 1990 Sundborg began his six-year term as the provincial of Oregon Province during which time the complaint said his office held what is known as the "Hell Files," which may have included information on Jesuits accused of sexual abuse.
According to Roosa, Sundborg allowed Henry G. Hargreaves, S.J. to "remain in ministry" knowing that Hargreaves had abused children as far back as the 1960s.
"We believe Fr. Sundborg was given information either by Fr. Hargreaves or by other Jesuits about Fr. Hargreaves that he failed to act upon," Roosa said.
"What we know as far as naming Fr. Sundborg is that they knew as an institution that people were being sexually abused and did absolutely nothing," said Elsie Boudreau, who said she has been a victim of Jesuit priests in Alaska. "Had they acted I would not be standing here today because they knew long before I was even born that [James Poole, S.J.] had a problem with young girls and they did nothing. They just moved them around and I endured the abuse […] from the time I was 10 years old to the time I was 19."
According to Pat Wall, another attorney representing the victims, this case is unique because of its expansive scope, from individual Jesuits to the Father General in Rome.
"We're going to finally, after all these years," Wall said, "be able to present all this information and be able to show you how the priests used the power of the confessional to solicit sex from the kids, how they were using their power as priests to get to the kids."
"What we want to do is shine some light in a dark and dirty corner of the Jesuits' past. This is the beginning; we're going to be filing additional lawsuits in the future," Roosa said.
As of now 43 victims are represented in the first lawsuit, with an additional 60 set to be represented over the next few weeks in new complaints.
Keep checking back at su-spectator.com for more details.
Click here to download the 78-page complaint as a PDF.
Click here to view previous coverage.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.