Woman Suing Priest Says Archdiocese Defamed Her

By Emily Gurnon
Pioneer Press
September 22, 2014

http://www.twincities.com/crime/ci_26584655/woman-suing-priest-says-archdiocese-defamed-her

Michael Keating (Courtesy photo)

Attorneys with the office of Jeff Anderson filed an amended lawsuit Monday in Ramsey County District Court, alleging that the Twin Cities Catholic archdiocese defamed a woman who had accused the Rev. Michael Keating of sexual abuse.

The Chisago County woman, known as Doe 20, sued Keating in October 2013, alleging that he molested her, beginning when she was about 13. Keating was in seminary at the time but later became a priest and joined the faculty of the University of St. Thomas.

The amended lawsuit accuses the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and its former vicar-general the Rev. Kevin McDonough of defaming the woman in published statements. The archdiocese and McDonough have been added as defendants.

The woman in her lawsuit accuses Keating, now 58, of abusing her from 1997 to 2000. McDonough investigated the allegations in 2006, when she first came forward.

McDonough wrote that "she had mental and emotional disability that gave her 'delusions,' falsely implying that the plaintiff had falsely reported... the harmful and offensive touchings by Keating that she had experienced," the amended suit said.

The amended lawsuit also alleges that the archdiocese "engaged in extreme and outrageous conduct by communicating with a potential Keating victim by email alone with the intent of not adequately corroborating plaintiff's account."

That potential victim was an underage Italian girl with whom Keating admitted having a "passionate physical encounter.

Attorneys with the office of Jeff Anderson filed an amended lawsuit Monday in Ramsey County District Court, alleging that the Twin Cities Catholic archdiocese defamed a woman who had accused the Rev. Michael Keating of sexual abuse.

The Chisago County woman, known as Doe 20, sued Keating in October 2013, alleging that he molested her, beginning when she was about 13. Keating was in seminary at the time but later became a priest and joined the faculty of the University of St. Thomas.

The amended lawsuit accuses the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and its former vicar-general the Rev. Kevin McDonough of defaming the woman in published statements. The archdiocese and McDonough have been added as defendants.

The woman in her lawsuit accuses Keating, now 58, of abusing her from 1997 to 2000. McDonough investigated the allegations in 2006, when she first came forward.

McDonough wrote that "she had mental and emotional disability that gave her 'delusions,' falsely implying that the plaintiff had falsely reported... the harmful and offensive touchings by Keating that she had experienced," the amended suit said.

The amended lawsuit also alleges that the archdiocese "engaged in extreme and outrageous conduct by communicating with a potential Keating victim by email alone with the intent of not adequately corroborating plaintiff's account."

That potential victim was an underage Italian girl with whom Keating admitted having a "passionate physical encounter.

Contact: egurnon@pioneerpress.com