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News and Media Releases
- Dubuque Archdiocese pays $5 million to settle 20 sex abuse cases
Contributor:
Project Worker Micah IT
Source: KMEG TV - 100 Gold Circle - Dakota Dunes, SD 57049
Posted: 2-3-2006
The archdiocese also agreed to publish the names of the nine accused priests, give each victim the chance to meet privately with Archbishop Jerome Hanus and give each victim a chance to speak about their ordeal in their home parish.
The suits and claims involve allegations against nine priests, in alleged incidents from 1954 through 1978. All but one of the priests are deceased, and the one living - the Rev. William T. Schwartz - was defrocked in December by Pope Benedict XVI. Three cases are still pending against Schwartz individually.
Several of the claims are alleged incidents in Waterloo involving two priests: Schwartz in connection with incidents when he was associate pastor of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Waterloo in the 1960s; and in the late 1970s when he was spiritual director of Columbus High School; and the Rev. Patrick McElliott, when he was pastor of St. John's Catholic Church in Waterloo in the 1950s and early '60s. McElliott died in 1987.
In return, attorneys for the victims agreed to dismiss 15 lawsuits that were filed in state and federal court. Five other pending claims will also be dismissed.
Of the 20 cases, 12 were filed by males and eight by females.
The archdiocese also agreed to several other issues:
* The archdiocese will post on its Web site "all church personnel accused of sexual abuse of minors when such accusations have been proven in a court of law, or found to be true through a criminal investigation, or investigated by the (Archdiocesan) Review Board after an outside non-criminal investigation, or admitted by the person in connection with the settlement of a civil lawsuit. "
* Dubuque Archbishop Jerome Hanus "will send private letters of apology" to the alleged victims, "and he will cause a written public apology to be released to the media" Thursday, "expressing and offering support for all 20 (alleged victims) and their families, and for all other survivors of sexual abuse perpetrated by Archdiocesan church personnel."
The archbishop is expected to release a statement on the settlement later today.
It's the second multi (m) million dollar settlement by an Iowa diocese in the past 15 months.
In 2004, the Davenport Diocese paid nine (n) million dollars to settle 37 separate claims.
Website:Archdiocese settles lawsuits
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