Lawsuit Filed against Diocese

The News-Press
January 14, 2012

http://www.newspressnow.com/localnews/30211806/detail.html

A former worker at the Kansas City-St. Joseph Catholic diocesan archives is suing the diocese, claiming he was sexually harassed at work then dismissed after repeatedly complaining about it.

The civil lawsuit, filed by Larry Probst in U.S. District Court, alleges that Probst was subjected to sexually offensive language, sexual advances and pornography on the computers at work. The suit seeks relief under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

A spokeswoman said the diocese has not received the lawsuit and is not able to comment on any factual allegations in it.

But the diocese did say in a statement that Probst worked part time in the archives on an intermittent and as-needed basis when funds were available from June 2005 until June 2011.

“Along with four other positions, Probst’s temporary position was eliminated at the end of the diocesan fiscal year, on June 30, 2011, solely for budgetary reasons,” the diocese responded in its statement. “At the same time, an existing full-time employee with six years of service to the diocese was assigned to offer support to four departments, including the Diocesan Archives.”

The lawsuit brings to more than two dozen the number of cases filed against the diocese in the past year. Most of the others allege sexual abuse by priests.

According to the lawsuit, Probst began working intermittently at the archives about 2000, then started working more regularly in 2007 as an assistant to the Rev. Michael Coleman, the archivist for the diocese.

The lawsuit alleges that in 2010 Coleman befriended a man whom he later hired to perform data entry services for the diocese. Coleman and another priest talked about the man in sexually suggestive ways in Probst’s presence, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit also claims the new employee made sexual advances toward Probst.

Coleman could not be reached for comment.