News & Events

May 11, 2016: Media Advisory: Documents from Fr. James Vincent Fitzgerald’s Priest File to be Released Publicly Today

At a news conference Wednesday in Duluth, Attorney Mike Finnegan will publicly release documents for the first time from the Oblate priest file of Father James Vincent Fitzgerald. In 2013, an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Doe 19, filed a lawsuit for sexual abuse by Fr. Fitzgerald under the Minnesota Child Victims Act. The documents were used in a Ramsey…

May 09, 2016: Media Advisory: Fr. Michael Bik, St. John’s Abbey Named in Lawsuit; Press Conference Today

Bik abused the boy after St. John’s learned he sexually abused two students  in the 1970s when he was a teacher at St. Stephen’s in Anoka Bik taught at Twin Cities Catholic schools in Anoka and Shoreview before becoming a monk and priest of St. John’s At a news conference today in St. Paul, attorneys Jeff Anderson and Mike Bryant, along with advocate and former St. John’s monk, Patrick Wall will Announce the filing of a civil lawsuit naming St. John’s Abbey and Father Michael Bik as defendants. The suit is being brought by Doe 497…

Apr 27, 2016: Media Advisory: Two Sex Abuse Lawsuits Filed against Recently Reinstated St. John’s Monk Father Tim Backous

Backous Worked in Prominent Roles at St. John’s and Duluth afterSt. John’s ‘cleared’ him of allegations in 1991 and 2015What:  At a news conference tomorrow in St. Paul, attorneys Jeff Anderson and Mike Bryant will:  • Announce the filing of two civil lawsuits naming St. John’s Abbey and Father Timothy Backous as defendants. One suit is being brought by Doe 413, a survivor who was sexually abused by Backous at St. John’s Prep School in approximately 1982-1983 when he was 16 years old. The second lawsuit is being brought by Doe 188, a former member of the St. John’s Boys Choir who was…

Apr 25, 2016: Media Advisory: Diocese of Rockville Centre Named in 2nd Abuse Lawsuit Regarding Priest Still in Ministry

Fr. Yacyshyn was allowed to continue in ministry at St. Jude’s in Mastic Beach, even after the first lawsuit was filed in January 2015Plaintiff alleges that the Diocese’s actions are a public nuisance and urges law enforcement action.What:  At a press conference Tuesday on Long Island, Attorney Mike Reck of Jeff Anderson & Associates and Chris Anderson of MaleSurvivor will:  • Announce the filing of a second complaint on behalf of a new victim, a 20 year-old man, naming the Diocese of Rockville Centre and St. Francis Assisi Church as defendants. The Plaintiff alleges sexual abuse…

Apr 18, 2016: Video: Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Indian Bishop for Reinstatement of Convicted Predator Priest Fr. Joseph Jeyapaul

Bishop Amalraj, with permission from Pope Francis, returned Jeyapaul to ministry after his sexual abuse conviction in Minnesota Survivor Megan Peterson will speak publicly about the nuisance lawsuit and Jeyapaul’s return to active ministry and the danger to kids in India WHAT: At a press conference Tuesday in St. Paul, live-streamed from the law office of Jeff Anderson & Associates, sexual abuse survivor Megan Peterson and Attorney Jeff Anderson will announce the filling of a federal lawsuit naming the Diocese of Ootacamund, India, as defendants. A letter, sent to Anderson and Roseau Co…

Apr 12, 2016: Media Advisory: Clerical Expert Identifies Bishop Joseph Ferrario as Child Abuser Before Appointment as Bishop

Three More Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Filed Before April 24 Legal Deadline26 Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Settled Involving the Diocese of Honolulu and other Religious Orders What:  At a press conference Wednesday, Kailua Attorney Mark Gallagher will: • Announce the filing of three lawsuits on behalf of three sexual abuse survivors before the April 24, 2016 legal deadline. The new lawsuits ask courts to force public disclosure of the identity and whereabouts of all credibly accused clerics in the Diocese of Honolulu;• Release the expert report of Rev. Thomas P. Doyle, a canon law…

Apr 11, 2016: Video: Top Official at St. John’s Abbey Named in Two Lawsuits, Press Conference Tuesday

At a news conference on Tuesday in St. Paul, attorneys Jeff Anderson and Mike Bryant will announce the filing of two civil lawsuits naming St. John’s Abbey and Father Tom Andert as defendants. One of the survivors, sexually abused by Fr. Andert when he was 14 years old, will speak publicly using his name at tomorrow’s press conference. The second survivor, Doe 324, was sexually abused by Fr. Andert in approximately 1970-1971.

Mar 15, 2016: Media Advisory: Fr. Antonio Marfori, Diocese of St. Cloud Named in Lawsuit; Hearing Tomorrow on Public Nuisance Claim

In Hearing Tomorrow, Diocese of St. Cloud Seeks to Dismiss Public Nuisance Claim from First Marfori Suit (St. Cloud, MN) – In a hearing tomorrow in Stearns County District Court, the Diocese of St. Cloud will ask the court to dismiss a public nuisance claim brought by survivor Doe 75 in October 2015. In his lawsuit, Doe 75 claims the Diocese of St. Cloud created a public nuisance by concealing the identities and information pertaining to priests in the diocese who were accused of sexually abusing children. This allowed the known child molesters to live freely in the community without…

Mar 11, 2016: Media Advisory: Monday News Conference in Chicago Announcing Lawsuit Filed Against Melkite-Greek Catholic Church

At a news conference on Monday, attorneys Jeff Anderson and Marc Pearlman will:? Announce a civil lawsuit on behalf of Jane Doe 247 who was sexually abused as a young girl by Fr. Albert Wehby. The lawsuit names the Melkite-Greek Catholic Church and St. John the Baptist in Northlake, IL as defendants. Jane Doe 247 was sexually abused by Wehby at St. Johns…

Feb 15, 2016: Media Advisory: Doe 84 to Speak Publicly for the First Time Tuesday

At a news conference on Tuesday in St. Paul, Doe 84 along with his attorneys will speak publicly using his name for the first time regarding his experience as a student at Children’s Theatre Company. Doe 84 and Laura Adams filed the first lawsuit in December 2015 naming Children’s Theatre, John Clark Donahue and Jason McLean as defendants. Doe 84 was sexually abused by former director John Clark Donahue in 1977. Will also announce the filing of two sexual abuse lawsuits on behalf of Doe 170 and…