OMAHA (NE)
KETV - ABC 7 [Omaha NE]
July 25, 2024
By McKenzy Parsons and Maddie Augustine
[See also the text of the lawsuit.]
Omaha’s Archbishop is among the clergy members named in a lawsuit filed against the Archdiocese of St. Louis and Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski alleging the sexual abuse of minors for decades.
The lawsuit said the Archdiocese has “known of the sexual abuse perpetrated upon its young parishioners and children in the community” by employees, priests, reverends, nuns, teachers, and other staff members.
The lawsuit was brought forth by 27 anonymous plaintiffs.
It accuses the defendants of often transferring the perpetrators to different locations within the Archdiocese or Catholic Church or sending them away for treatment before returning them to unsupervised access to children.
“Our clients have courageously stepped forward to file these cases. They are entitled to full justice and accountability. By bringing these actions the hope is that justice will serve as some sense of closure,” said Todd Matthews and Bailey Glasser who are representing the plaintiffs in the case.
One of the plaintiffs, a former altar boy, alleged Omaha Archbishop George Lucas sexually assaulted them when they were a junior in high school at the Saint Louis Preparatory Seminary.
“Seminarians are also among the most vulnerable and helpless Catholic kids because seminarians feel a calling from God to join the priesthood,” David Clohessy, Survivor Network of those Abused by Priests Missouri representative, said.
The plaintiff said he met Lucas in 1988 when he was 16, at the St. Louis Preparatory Seminary. Lucas was a priest and Dean of Education at the school at the time.
“The church is not a democracy, so that gives a seminary head, again, extraordinary power over very vulnerable and devout teenagers,” Clohessy said.
Clohessy said it’s difficult for children to realize something may be abuse until decades later.
“The single most common coping mechanism for people who are sexually abused as kids is denial,” Clohessy said. “Followed by minimization.”
Lucas denied the allegations in a statement.
“I categorically deny the accusation made by an anonymous person. I have never had sexual contact with another person. I referred the matter to the apostolic nuncio, Pope Francis’ representative in Washington D.C., for his guidance.”
Clohessy said there are several reasons why a plaintiff remains anonymous and victims deserve the right to protect their privacy.
“Child sex abuse victims have already suffered enough,” Clohessy said. “Many of us feel inadequate, ashamed, embarrassed. We doubt our own sexuality. We blame ourselves.”
Click here to see the full lawsuit.
To learn more about SNAP or find resources near you, click here.
mckenzy.parsons@hearst.com
maddie.augustine@hearst.com