News & Events

Mar 12, 2018: Law Firm Challenges New York Bishops to Release Names and Information on All Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse

The time for “reconsidering” and “thinking about”releasing the names has passed (Buffalo, New York) – On Sunday, Bishop Richard J. Malone of the Diocese of Buffalo told the Buffalo News that he was “reconsidering” a longstanding policy that withholds the names of priests who have been accused of sexual abuse. Apparently, the diocese has a 15-year “tradition” of withholding the names of priests accused of sexual abuse. It’s time for this “tradition” to end. “The New York bishops have been thinking about releasing names for decades,” said Attorney Mike Reck of Jeff Anderson & Associates, PA….

Mar 02, 2018: Media Advisory: Abuse Survivor Seeks to Join Diocese Of St. Cloud in Lawsuits Against Insurance Companies

(St. Paul, MN) – Doe 524, a survivor of sexual abuse by a Catholic clergy member when he was an altar boy at Holy Cross Parish in Onamia, Minnesota in the 1960s and 1970s, has asked a Federal District Court in Minnesota to allow him to join two lawsuits involving the Diocese of St. Cloud and its insurance companies. The two lawsuits were brought by the Diocese and Catholic Mutual Insurance Company last year to determine whether policies issued to the Diocese by other insurance companies cover the more…

Mar 01, 2018: Media Advisory: Diocese of Rockville Centre Settles Sex Abuse Claim

(Rockville Centre, NY) – A survivor of childhood sexual abuse by Diocese of Rockville Centre priest Fr. Ernest E. Robinson, a convicted sex offender, has settled his claims against the Diocese through the Diocese’s Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP). Robinson has never been publicly identified as a perpetrator priest.Robinson sexually abused the survivor in approximately 1980, when Robinson was a priest at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Greenlawn…

Jan 15, 2018: Fr. Antonio Marfori Added to Diocese of St. Cloud’s Clergy Abuse List, Attorneys Challenge Bishop to Release More Information

(St. Paul, MN) – On Friday afternoon, St. Cloud Diocese Bishop Donald Kettler added Fr. Antonio “Tony” Marfori to the diocese’s list of clergy likely to have abused minors, making Marfori the 40th name on the list. “Putting Fr. Marfori on the list is the right thing to do but much more information is needed in order to protect children in St. Cloud,” said Jeff Anderson, attorney for three Marfori sexual abuse survivors.

Nov 10, 2017: Media Alert: Clergy Abuse Law Firm Demands New York Bishops Disclose Names of Offenders

Clergy Abuse Law Firm Demands Immediate Disclosure of the Names of Offenders Held Secret by New York Catholic BishopsLaw firm challenges New York bishops to demonstrate that they are not the most dangerous state for children (New York, NY) – The covert disclosure yesterday of the names of 8 priests who were removed by the Brooklyn Diocese for the sexual abuse of children underscores the clear and present danger in New York. Every diocese has held the names of child sex offenders in complete secrecy since 2002. These names have only recently begun to leak out under pressure. Until these names a…

Nov 09, 2017: News Release: $8.95 Million Settlement Reached With Diocese of Duluth Insurer in Bankruptcy Case

Settlement Reached With One of Diocese of Duluth’s InsurersIn Bankruptcy CaseCatholic Mutual Will Pay Abuse Claimants $8.95 MillionDeal Contingent On Court Approval, Consensual ReorganizationPlan Confirmation(St. Paul, MN) – A settlement has been reached with one of the Diocese of Duluth’s multiple insurers in the Diocese’s bankruptcy case stemming from clergy sexual abuse. The insurer, Catholic Mutual Relief Society of America (Catholic Mutual), will contribute $8,950,000.00 to the Diocese of Duluth bankruptcy case. If approved, the money will be used to pay a portion of the sexual abuse clai…

Oct 30, 2017: Media Alert: November 1 Deadline for Sexual Abuse Survivors in the Archdiocese of New York

NOVEMBER 1 DEADLINE 48 HOURS TO TAKE ACTION IF YOU WERE SEXUALLY ABUSED IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW YORK(New York, NY) – On Wednesday November 1, 2017, time will expire for survivors of child sexual abuse who were abused in the Archdiocese of New York. Truth and justice should not have a statute of limitations, however this may be the last chance sexual abuse survivors in the Archdiocese of New York have to obtain some measure of justice for the abuse they suffered as children. “It is an urgent necessity for survivors to immediately evaluate their rights before the impending deadline,” said Atto…

Oct 16, 2017: News Release: Diocese of Rockville Centre Announces Sexual Abuse Compensation Program

Diocese of Rockville CentreAnnounces Compensation Program for Sexual Abuse Survivors (Rockville Centre, NY) – Today, the Diocese of Rockville Centre announced a compensation program for survivors of child sexual abuse. Phase I of the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP) is open to survivors of clergy sexual abuse who previously reported abuse by a diocesan priest or deacon, to the Diocese of Rockville Centre. The deadline for Phase I submissions is December 31, 2017. According to the diocese, Phase II will commence at a later date, which is anticipated to be in January 20…

Sep 28, 2017: News Release: Coercion Claim Against Crookston Bishop Hoeppner Settled—Letter Released as Part of Settlement

Coercion Claim Against Crookston Bishop Hoeppner SettledLetter Hoeppner Coerced Vasek to Sign in 2015 Released as Part of the Settlement(St. Paul, MN) – Ron Vasek settled his coercion claim against Crookston Bishop Michael Hoeppner this week.  As part of the settlement, Vasek received a copy of the letter the Bishop coerced him into signing in 2015 retracting his statement that he had been abused by Msgr. Roger Grundhaus when he was 16 years old.  Vasek’s attorney, Jeff Anderson, said for Ron this case was about exposing the truth.  “Ron suffered in silence and shame….

Sep 19, 2017: News Release: Hearings Tomorrow in Case Involving Crookston Bishop Michael Hoeppner’s Coercion of Survivor Ron Vasek

Hearing Tomorrow in Thief River Falls in Case Where Statute of Limitations Extended by Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner’s Coercion Attorneys asking Court to Sanction the Diocese of Crookston for Concealing Msgr. Roger Grundhaus’ Name(Thief River Falls, MN):  In a hearing tomorrow, courageous survivor Ron Vasek will ask the Court to deny the Diocese of Crookston’s attempts to throw out his public nuisance and negligence claims.  Ron Vasek was sexually abused by former Vicar General of the Diocese of Crookston, Msgr. Roger Grundhaus, in approximately 1971.  After Mr. Vasek disclosed the…

Sep 19, 2017: News Release: 17 Cases Settled, Three Names Added to St. John’s Abbey List of Sexual Abusers

St. John’s Abbey settles 17 more sex abuse cases, 3 never before disclosed names added to its list of abusersNewly identified abusers, Fr. Strub, Fr. Kelly and Fr. Plakut Worked Throughout Minnesota“This is real progress,” says Attorney Jeff AndersonFather Augustine Strub Bio and Assignment HistoryFather Casimir Plakut Bio and Assignment HistoryFather James Kelly Bio and Assignment History(St. Paul, MN) – On Monday, St. John’s Abbey added three more names to a growing list of its priests and monks who have sexually abused children. St. John’s acknowledged that monks Fr. Casimir Plakut, Fr. Aug…