Lawsuit Filed Against Saint Vincent Archabbey

The Catholic Church’s process for investigating allegations of abuse is doing more harm than good. Those making allegations are never allowed to speak to the review board that makes findings and recommendations, are never told the results, and are denied access to independent therapeutic care. Instead of being helped, they are being re-victimized.

These are the claims in a federal lawsuit filed by a former priesthood student against Saint Vincent Archabbey, a Catholic monastery in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The complaint was filed by Dennis O’Brien, who as a minor attended Saint Vincent Scholasticate from 1967 to 1970. In the spring of 2010, Mr. O’Brien asked the monastery for help with the “demons” that had plagued him most of his life, caused by abusive behavior by two priests while he attended the Scholasticate.

The lawsuit seeks an order requiring the Archabbey to open up its abuse investigation process, including posting its policies and procedures on line, allowing access to its review board, releasing the findings and recommendations of the review board, and allowing a complainant to choose his/her own therapist when the Archabbey offers to pay for such services.

Mr. O’Brien, a retired lawyer who is handling his own case, believes that the Catholic Church will never get beyond its current sex abuse scandal until it fixes its investigation process. “Right now the Church is protecting its reputation at the expense of the health, well-being, and even the salvation of those who have been abused,” he said. “The pain caused by the betrayal and loss of faith affects all aspects of life. As the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops says, when the abused are not heard and acknowledged, they are re-victimized. The process is hurting the victims while damning everyone involved, at all levels.”

The defendants have filed a Motion to Dismiss, which will be heard in Pittsburgh in September. All court filings, plus an appeal to the Vatican, are available at www.sharejerusalem.com/files. For additional information, please contact dennisobrien@sharejerusalem.com.