Parishioners Sue Detroit Archdiocese over Ouster of Priest

WXYZ
February 13, 2020

https://www.wxyz.com/news/parishioners-sue-detroit-archdiocese-over-ouster-of-priest

DETROIT (WXYZ) — Parishioners at Assumption Grotto Catholic Church are demanding their priest return to worship. They have now filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit against their own archdiocese.

Father Eduard Perrone was barred in July of 2019 after sex abuse allegation.

"It's ridiculous," said Amy McGuckin, a parishioner and plaintiff. "Father Perrone would be the first one to say this is a heinous act that needs to stop."

The lawsuit is seeking excess of $20 million.

"I've know him since I was 12," said McGuckin. "He's gone out of his way to help my family."

McGuckin and 19 other parishioners are suing for emotional distress and fraud.

Perrone, 70, has been prohibited from representing himself as a priest and barred from church activities since July of 2019. He officiate the wedding of Brien and Marie Dux.

"He was a really good friend and a spiritual leader," Marie said.

The lawsuit names the Archdiocese of Detroit, Roman Catholic Archbishop and Mike Bugarin. The lawsuit claims Bugarin is an internal sex abuse investigator for the church. The parishioners said in the lawsuit they've been defrauded.

"There's a catholic service appeal fund that the archdiocese rusn and they expect," said Christopher Kolomjec, the attorney representing the parishioners. "Every parish throughout the archdiocese contributes to these fund[s], its mandatory, it's like a tax, and that's the fund used to run the operations and programs including these investigations."

The Archdiocese of Detroit declined to comment about the specifics of the case. However, they sent their policy to 7 Action News on sex abuse investigations.

"They said there was something credible and still they have yet to produce the credible allegation," said Brien Dux, a longtime parishioner at the parish.

7 Action News will continue to follow developments in the story.

You can also contact The Archdiocese of Detroit to report sexual abuse by visiting www.protect.aod.org

Perrone's biographical information:

Education: Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, MI; St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth, MI

Ordained: June 10, 1978

Assignment History:

1978-1981: Associate Pastor, St. Peter Parish, Mt. Clemens

1981-1984: Associate Pastor, St. Genevieve Parish, Livonia

1984-1987: Associate Pastor, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Grotto) Parish, Detroit

1987-1994: Pastor, St. Nicholas Parish, Capac

1994 - present: Pastor, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Grotto) Parish, Detroit