IL - Pedophile Priest Case Settles for $1.35 Million

By Jeff Jones
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
August 13, 2013

http://www.snapnetwork.org/il_pedophile_priest_case_settles_for_1_35_million

Pedophile priest case settles for $1.35 million

Ex-Peoria bishop is also accused of wrongdoing

Controversial prelate now heads Newark archdiocese

His 200 page deposition is being released for first time

And long-secret records of child molesting cleric are disclosed

Victims urge others who “saw, suspected or suffered crimes to speak up”

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, victims of pedophile priests will

--announce and discuss a $1.35 million dollar settlement of a child sex abuse & cover up lawsuit,

--beg local Catholics to read hundreds of newly released long secret church records in the case, and

--prod Peoria’s bishop to post names of predator priests on his website.

They will also urge every person who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes and cover ups in the Peoria Diocese – under the former bishop or subsequent bishops – to call police, expose wrongdoing, protect kids and start healing.

WHEN

TODAY, Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 1:00 p.m.

WHO

Two members of a support group called SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), including a former Pekin man who was also abused by a Peoria Diocese priest

WHERE

Outside the Peoria Catholic diocese headquarters (“chancery office”), 607 NE Madison Ave  in Peoria, IL

WHY

In June 2008, Msgr. Thomas W. Maloney was accused in a civil suit of abusing s then eight year old altar boy in 1995-1996 at Epiphany Catholic Church in Normal. The suit also accused then-Peoria Bishop John Myers of ignoring or hiding the crimes.

That suit has just settled for $1.35 million. And as part of the settlement, hundreds of pages of Msgr. Maloney’s personnel files will be posted on line today, along with a 200+ page sworn deposition of Myers. (The records will be available at BishopAccountability.org – in the “New & Newsworthy” section of the site- and at AndersonAdvocates.com)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/08/church_pays_135_million_in_suit_alleging_newark_archbishop_protected_abuser_in_illinois.html

According to the suit, a woman reported abuse by Maloney in 1995 or 1996 and a second woman came forward to say Maloney had molested her as a child in 1970s. There were, however, no criminal charges ever filed against him.

Myers has been under severe fire in recent years – and increasing demands for his resignation, even in Catholic circles – for the way he’s dealing with pedophile priest cases in New Jersey (involving Fr. Michael Fugee, Fr. Robert Chabak and Fr. Daniel Medina among others).

http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/editorial-newark-shows-need-transparency

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news3/2005_07_26_Diamant_AccusedPriests_Gerald_Ruane_3.htm

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news13/2008_09_12_JerseyJournal_WorkedAt_Daniel_Medina.htm

In the Fugee case, Myers quietly put a convicted predator priest back to work in a hospital despite a written agreement with prosecutors that the cleric would never work around kids again. Myers removed Fugee when his presence at the hospital was disclosed by a newspaper. Years later, the same newspaper revealed that Fugee heard kids’ confessions, went on kids’ retreats and traveled with kids to Canada. Fugee is now behind bars for having violated the “no contact with kids” agreement. And politicians and parishioners have expressed outrage at Myers because of his actions in the case.

Maloney worked at St. Mary's Cathedral parish in Peoria; St. Patrick's parish in Ottawa, St. Monica's parish in East Peoria, in Epiphany parish in Normal (in 1973), St. Joseph's parish in Chenoa (1976 -1995)  and St. Mary's parish in Lexington  (1976 -1995). In the early 1980s, he was also chaplain at Central Catholic High School in Bloomington.

According to the Peoria Diocesan newspaper, in 1995, Maloney returned to Epiphany Parish in Normal and oversaw two major building programs, including building one of the most spacious grade school gyms in the diocese.

Maloney was born in Bloomington, attended St. Benedict's College in Atchison, Kan., taught in Galesburg, and Camp Grove, was ordained in 1967, retired in 2002 (allegedly for health reasons), and reportedly spent time then on rural property along the Mackinaw River and at a retirement home in St. Petersburg, Fla. He passed away in 2009.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news3/2002_08_22_CatholicPost_MsgrMaloney_Thomas_W_Maloney_1.htm

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2013/05_06/2013_05_05_Arthur_SexAbuseSuit.htm

Myers was Peoria’s bishop from 1990 until 2001 when he was promoted to Newark.

Contact: jjones1007@gmail.com