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His Old Town, Maine priest abused him as a child.
Soon, he’ll be able to sue over it.
by Judy Harrison
Bangor Daily News
20 hours ago
Robert Dupuis of East Lyme, Connecticut, could be among the first to file a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland under a change in Maine law that eliminates the statute of limitations for filing child sexual abuse claims. Credit: Courtesy of Robert Dupuis
If you or someone you know needs resources or support related to sexual violence, contact the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s 24/7 hotline at 800-871-7741.
Robert Dupuis was part of a group of five boys who did chores around St. Joseph Catholic Church in Old Town in 1961, when he was 12.
The boys mowed the lawn, shoveled snow and helped out at church banquets and suppers, working under the supervision of the Rev. John J. Curran. But when Dupuis was alone with Curran, the priest sexually abused him, he said. It began with hugs, then progressed to fondling.
Dupuis went public with the abuse he experienced in 2008 when he urged the Augusta City Council to support removing Curran’s name from a downtown bridge, which the Legislature did the following year. Richard Malone, then bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, acknowledged the priest’s abuse and endorsed removing the priest’s name as well.
Thirteen years later, Dupuis, now 72 and a resident of East Lyme, Connecticut, may be among the first victims of child sexual abuse to sue the organization that protected his abuser after a law change that takes effect this fall removes the statute of limitations on such lawsuits.
Current state law effectively prevents people such as Dupuis who were abused as children prior to the late 1980s from suing their abusers and the organizations for which they worked. The law change, passed by the Legislature and approved by Gov. Janet Mills in June, lifts that time limit effective Oct. 18.
Dupuis said he is seriously considering a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, noting that many abuse victims are reluctant to speak about their abuse.
“The reason I am doing this is to help people like myself, who have been sexually abused in their childhood, to come forward and speak about it and to help them heal,” he said. “I lived with my abuse for over 40 years before I came forward and was willing to speak about it.”
More lawsuits, but unclear how many
It’s unclear how many lawsuits could be filed after the statute of limitation ends in October.
An analysis on the cost of implementing the law change anticipated a “minimal number of new cases” that wouldn’t require additional funding for the state court system.
Michael Bigos, Dupuis’ Lewiston-based attorney who specializes in civil cases concerning childhood sexual abuse, said his office has fielded inquiries from several Mainers who want to know what their rights are with the statute of limitations removed.
“I expect there will be more when the new law takes effect,” he said.
Other states, including New York and California, that have lifted the statute of limitations have seen a plethora of lawsuits filed in the early days of eligibility.
Dave Guthro, spokesperson for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, did not respond to multiple emails and phone messages asking whether the diocese planned to set aside additional funds to deal with a possible onslaught of litigation.
The diocese notes in financial reports each year how much money it spends on sexual misconduct claims. That amount was $159,000 in 2020, $186,064 in 2019, $168,796 in 2018 and $1.5 million in 2017. A majority of those costs were for investigations and legal fees, reimbursed by insurance, rather than for payments to victims.
Of course! It's all about circling the wagons. Who cares about the victims. What a disaster it will be when the Catholic Church stands before Jesus Christ.
Rotterdam, NY pastor under investigation for child sex abuse allegations
By Shenandoah Briere |
August 14, 2021
Our Lady Queen of Peace on Princetown Road in Rotterdam.
A Rotterdam pastor is voluntarily stepping back from public ministry as he is investigated for allegations of child sexual abuse.
“In light of a single allegation of sexual abuse that was first reported in a Child Victims Act case, Father Vincent Ciotoli, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Schenectady and St. Margaret of Cortona in Rotterdam, has voluntarily withdrawn from public ministry while the independent Diocesan Review Board investigates the claim,” states a Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany release issued Saturday.
Ciotoli is maintaining his innocence, according to the release.
Diocesan director of communications Mary DeTurris Poust said the claim was brought via litigation.
Father James Belogi, pastor of St. Madeline Sophie in Guilderland and St. Gabriel the Archangel in Rotterdam, celebrated the 4 p.m. Mass at Our Lady Queen of Peace Saturday in Ciotoli’s absence. After Mass, Belogi read a letter from Bishop Edward Scharfenberger to the congregation addressing the allegation.
“We as a Church and as individual Catholics have a solemn moral responsibility to do all we can to ensure children are safe in every Catholic place, and we are committed to meeting that responsibility,” part of the letter stated.
Ciotoli addressed this same complaint with his congregation about a year ago.
The complaint was not verified at that time, “meaning the plaintiff has not yet certified that the pleading is true,” DeTurris Poust said.
She said the complaint also did not include enough details for a thorough investigation.
“However, in light of the recent case involving Father John Varno and his withdrawal from ministry, Bishop Scharfenberger decided to ask the independent Diocesan Review Board — out of an abundance of caution and a commitment to transparency — to look into the case involving Father Ciotoli and to offer a recommendation,” DeTurris Poust said. “The Review Board recommended at its meeting last week that it pursue an initial investigation of the claim. As soon as that recommendation was made, Father Ciotoli withdrew from ministry.”
Varno, a retired priest, had voluntarily stepped down at the end of July as a sacramental minister for the parish cluster, comprised of the parishes of Our Lady of Grace in Ballston Lake, Immaculate Conception in Glenville and St. Joseph’s in Scotia.
“There was never any complaint made to the diocese, which means Father Varno’s case is in the hands of the attorneys,” DeTurris Poust said. “But Bishop Scharfenberger heard the concerns of parishioners and decided, out of an abundance of caution and respect for those concerns, that the best course of action was not to wait for a lengthy legal process to run its course but to ask Father Varno to voluntarily step aside even though there has been no determination of credibility of this allegation.”
DeTurris Poust said the Diocesan Review Board only investigates allegations which come straight to the Diocese. “Lawsuits follow the legal path and typically don’t involve the Review Board, she said. “But, in this case, Bishop Scharfenberger wanted to take that extra step.”
DeTurris Poust said the church will forward the most recent complaint on to the appropriate District Attorney’s office.
“Because this is an anonymous CVA case with few details, it is difficult to conduct a thorough investigation under the circumstances,” DeTurris Poust said. “In addition, because it is in litigation, there are further restraints on what can and can’t be done. Regardless, Bishop Scharfenberger is committed to full transparency and will await the independent Diocesan Review Board’s eventual finding and recommendation.”
DeTurris Poust said the allegation did not take place during Ciotoli’s tenure in Schenectady, but rather decades before.
Ciotoli has been the pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace since 2010 and pastor of St. Margaret of Cortona since it became a mission church of Our Lady Queen of Peace in 2015. Before that he served at other parishes in Schenectady, Glens Falls, Latham, Troy, Loudonville, Gloversville, Glenville, Ravena, Albany, Hoosick Falls and Rotterdam.
The Diocese said Ciotoli will not be allowed to present himself as a priest until the investigation is complete. He will not be able to wear any of his clerics, cassocks, stoles or vestments or perform any sacraments.
“At this point there is no timeline on the investigation or the litigation, but Father Ciotoli will remain on administrative leave and out of public ministry until one or both are concluded,” Deturris Poust said. “If the investigation were to find the claim credible, he would be permanently removed from ministry and added to our List of Offenders.”
The Diocese said anyone who was sexually abused by a priest or deacon should contact the police or report the incident to the Diocese by calling Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator Frederick Jones at 518-453-6646 or via email at assistance.coordinator@rcda.org.
Victoria State Catholic organisations admit liability for now-deceased
paedophile priest Bryan Coffey
ABC South West Vic / By Matt Neal
Posted 13h ago13 hours ago, updated 4h ago4 hours ago
The Catholic Diocese of Ballarat has admitted liability in a compensation case involving now-deceased
paedophile priest Bryan Coffey. (ABC Ballarat: Dominic Cansdale )
Two Catholic organisations have admitted liability in the Supreme Court related to the actions of a now-deceased paedophile priest.
An expert says the admission removes a massive legal hurdle for abuse survivors and victims of Father Bryan Coffey who are now seeking compensation.
Coffey, who died in 2013, was found guilty in 1999 of 14 charges relating to indecent assaults on seven boys and one girl that took place across four Victorian parishes between 1960 and 1975.
Two civil cases are underway in the Supreme Court from abuse survivors seeking compensation for Coffey's actions in the 1960s and 70s in Ouyen in north-west Victoria and Port Fairy in south-west Victoria.
The Catholic Diocese of Ballarat and the Trustees of the Sisters of Saint Joseph have admitted liability in the matter involving the abuse of a boy at Ouyen in 1973 and 1974 but not the case in Port Fairy.
Six more similar cases are lined up to proceed in the coming months relating to Coffey's actions in Ouyen and Port Fairy, as well as the south-west Victorian communities of Terang and Yambuk.
The ABC understands there are at least six more cases involving Coffey that are in their early stages.
The list of named defendants on the court documents includes Bishop Paul Bernard Bird as the nominated defendant of the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat, the Trustees of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Mercy Support Limited, the Trustees of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, and the Sisters of the Good Samaritans of the Order of Saint Benedict.
In all of the matters before the court, the plaintiffs allege the diocese and associated organisations knew or should have known that Coffey had sexually abused or was sexually abusing children.
It is the first time the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat has admitted liability in relation to the actions of Coffey.
The plaintiff in Tuesday's case will still be expected to prove the level of "injury" Coffey's actions caused, and the amount of compensation is yet to be decided by the court.
Removes legal hurdle
Judy Courtin, a lawyer who represents victims of institutional abuse, says the admission of liability "removes a huge hurdle" for abuse survivors.
"It's a great victory," Dr Courtin said. "It's a day where you really respect and take your hat off to the [abuse survivors]. They're the ones who've had to suffer and be completely re-traumatised by having to go through this process.
"It's good news that others won't have to go through these particular legal hurdles. It's a vindication. Finally, these people can say at least partly they're being heard and it's being admitted.
"That's huge because they've been denied forever and [the church] have fought it forever."
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