Diocese

responds

to lawsuits

2 civil suits

allege abuse by deceased priest

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The Catholic Diocese of New Ulm offered its response Thursday to allegations that it did nothing to prevent the sexual abuse of two teenage girls nearly 40 years ago.

Two civil lawsuits were filed against the diocese in Brown County District Court Monday, claiming that the Rev. David A. Roney, who died earlier this year, caused psychological damage to two women by using their trust in him to take sexually advantage of them when they were teenagers.

The diocese first acknowledged the suits publicly in a press release issued in early August.

In Tuesday's release, Bishop John C. Nienstedt apologized to victims and outlined steps the New Ulm diocese has taken in recent years to correct the problem of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy.

Allegations were brought against Roney twice before; both suits were settled out of court.

The lawsuits filed Monday claim the two women have suffered long-standing psychological difficulties as the result of Roney's abuse. Both women are asking for damages in excess of $50,000. Attorneys for the two women could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.

On Thursday, Nienstedt said, "It is important to note that these allegations refer to actions that allegedly happened 40 years ago."

He emphasized that the diocese "has taken steps to reach out to victims, to get help for perpetrators, to remove offenders from ministry and to set up a review board of lay representatives to assure greater transparency in dealing with the issue."

Roney was a pastor at the Church of St. Mary in Willmar from 1967 to 1980. Allegations of sexual misconduct first surfaced against him in 1987. The New Ulm diocese reviewed the allegations in 2002 and Nienstedt terminated Roney's pastoral duties soon after the review. Roney died in Guatemala in early 2003.

According to a press release issued by the diocese, listening sessions were held at the five parishes where Roney served during his ministry to assure parishioners of the diocese's support and assistance, to offer a process to voice and discuss sexual misconduct issues and to allow other victims to come forward.

Nienstedt said, "Every victim of clerical sexual abuse is a sister or brother who has been wronged, tragically wronged. He or she deserves our compassion, our understanding, our sympathy and our support. In the name of the Church, I express my heartfelt apology to anyone who has been victimized and I promise to do all that I can to assist the process of healing"

Sessions were held at the Church of St. John-Assumption in Faxon Township, the Church of St. Paul in Walnut Grove, the Church of St. Francis in Benson, the Church of St. Mary in Willmar and the Church of St. Gregory the Great in Lafayette.

The diocese is asking anyone who has been harassed, exploited or abused by a priest, deacon, pastor or pastoral administrator to contact its victim assistance coordinator at (507) 359-2966.