Abuse alleged at orphanage over three decades

Seattle Post-Intelligencer
September 28, 2005

Nine men have filed a lawsuit alleging a long-standing pattern of sexual and physical abuse against emotionally vulnerable boys at a Roman Catholic orphanage and high school overseen by the Seattle Archdiocese.

Between 1950 and 1979, the suit says, priests at Briscoe Memorial School in Kent and O'Dea High School in Seattle beat and raped youngsters. A half-dozen priests are named.

"Abuses were systemic and pervasive," the suit says. "Boys were constantly subjected to appalling acts of physical violence and sexual abuse."

A spokesman for the archdiocese did not return calls seeking comment Tuesday. However, in response to previous allegations about Briscoe, the archdiocese has denied responsibility, pointing out that the New York-based teaching order Christian Brothers Institute had sole possession and management of the school, which closed in 1970.

Attorney Michael Pfau, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the nine men, disputed that.

"The archdiocese owned Briscoe," he said. "It oversaw Briscoe, and it was responsible for Briscoe. They hired the Christian Brothers to teach but maintained responsibility."