Four of Penobscot Tribal Nation Sue Maine Catholic Diocese for Enabling and Coverup of Childhood Sexual Abuse By Three Priests
Attorneys representing four more survivors of childhood sexual abuse by three different priests — all at St. Ann Parish in Indian Island, Maine — today filed civil complaints against the Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland seeking to hold the diocese accountable for damages.
The sexual abuse in three of these cases happened between 1972 and 1979 when three of the plaintiffs were between seven and 12 years old. The fourth occurred in 1987 when the fourth plaintiff was 16 years old. The complaints show how the priests preyed upon and groomed the children, using the prestige of their positions in the church and leveraging the children’s adverse childhood experiences to put them in positions of power to abuse.
Two of the survivors coming forward wish to remain anonymous at this time. One survivor plans to be at a news conference.