DuPage judge rules abuse case against priest can continue
Joliet, Illinois --
A judge's ruling will allow a civil lawsuit alleging sexual abuse of a minor by a former priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet to continue.
The diocese had argued too much time had elapsed for a lawsuit to be filed, but DuPage County Judge Stephen Culliton on March 10 rejected that argument.
The plaintiff, a Glen Ellyn man in his 40s, alleges he was sexually abused by the Rev. Edward Stefanich at Christ the King Church in Lombard during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The man says he repressed memories of the abuse until the recent church sex scandal. He filed the lawsuit in September 2003.
Stefanich was arrested in 1987 for sexually abusing a 14-year-old Woodridge girl. He pleaded guilty and was removed from the priesthood.
In the recent case, Culliton rejected the diocese's argument that a statute of repose should prevent the lawsuit from moving forward, saying the state Legislature repealed the statute a decade ago.
The plaintiff says the ruling will benefit all survivors of clergy abuse, especially those affected by the Joliet Diocese. The diocese may initially offer modest compensation to victims with credible claims, he said, but resorts to hardball legal tactics once a lawsuit is filed.
'The diocese is taking the position that they do not negotiate,' said the man, identified as John Doe in the suit. 'This (ruling) may force them to change that.'
Sister Judith Davies, Joliet diocese chancellor, said she learned of the ruling March 11.
'While the diocese respects the decision of the court, it is in the process of considering what options it might take,' she said.
Read the article at suburbanchicagonews.com dated 03/18/05
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A judge's ruling will allow a civil lawsuit alleging sexual abuse of a minor by a former priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet to continue.
The diocese had argued too much time had elapsed for a lawsuit to be filed, but DuPage County Judge Stephen Culliton on March 10 rejected that argument.
The plaintiff, a Glen Ellyn man in his 40s, alleges he was sexually abused by the Rev. Edward Stefanich at Christ the King Church in Lombard during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The man says he repressed memories of the abuse until the recent church sex scandal. He filed the lawsuit in September 2003.
Stefanich was arrested in 1987 for sexually abusing a 14-year-old Woodridge girl. He pleaded guilty and was removed from the priesthood.
In the recent case, Culliton rejected the diocese's argument that a statute of repose should prevent the lawsuit from moving forward, saying the state Legislature repealed the statute a decade ago.
The plaintiff says the ruling will benefit all survivors of clergy abuse, especially those affected by the Joliet Diocese. The diocese may initially offer modest compensation to victims with credible claims, he said, but resorts to hardball legal tactics once a lawsuit is filed.
'The diocese is taking the position that they do not negotiate,' said the man, identified as John Doe in the suit. 'This (ruling) may force them to change that.'
Sister Judith Davies, Joliet diocese chancellor, said she learned of the ruling March 11.
'While the diocese respects the decision of the court, it is in the process of considering what options it might take,' she said.
Read the article at suburbanchicagonews.com dated 03/18/05
posted by God Almighty Himself at 8:15 AM
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2 Comments:
consider researching and compiling info on public school employees committing sexual abuse. it would be much easier since the frequency of incidents is approximately 2400 times as great.
It's amazing to me how many people are determined to marginalize the number of abuse cases perpetrated by the Catholic Church. I wonder what your motivation could be.
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