A national attorney for victims of clergy sexual abuse has announced plans to file twelve clergy sexual abuse lawsuits in nine California dioceses under California’s new Child Victims Act, which extends the state’s statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse survivors, set to take effect Jan. 1, 2020.

The announcement from Jeff Anderson & Associates included plans for the law firm to file lawsuits in the Archdioceses of Los Angeles and San Francisco and the Dioceses of Fresno, Monterey, Orange, San Bernardino, Oakland, San Jose, and Santa Rosa. 

The firm announced the first lawsuits on December 27 in Los Angeles against the Friars Minor Capuchin religious order, St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge, and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles over alleged abuse by a wrestling coach, Fr. Christopher Kearney O.F.M. Cap..

In the suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, an unnamed male alleges that Fr. Kearney touched him inappropriately during wrestling matches at St. Francis High School. 

Two other lawsuits were announced the same day against Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana and the Diocese of Orange over alleged abuse by former principal Msgr. Michael Harris and Bernie Balsis, a former guidance counselor at the school. The suits were filed on behalf of former students of both high schools alleging abuse decades ago.

In a statement, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said it had not been served with the lawsuit. The statement confirmed that although Fr. Kearney was not a priest of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, 15 years ago the Archdiocese had included him on a list of publicly accused priests, following a history of similar accusations against the priest. 

“Fr. Kearney is a priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, an independent religious order that runs St. Francis High School,” the Archdiocese said. “Fr. Kearney was included, as a religious order priest, in the list of publicly accused priests that the Archdiocese published in 2004. 

The Archdiocese said that it is “committed to transparency and has established reporting and prevention policies and programs to protect minors and support victim-survivors in our parishes, schools and ministries. 

“The Archdiocese does not tolerate anyone who does harm to a child or vulnerable person and remains committed to the support and healing of victim-survivors and to ensuring that parishes, schools and ministries are safe places for everyone in our community.” 

Regarding the other two suits, a statement from the Diocese of Orange said it is “resolute that it will embrace and give voice to past victims of abuse, irrespective of the dates of abuse, some decades ago. We take all and any allegations of abuse seriously."

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Diocese of Orange, along with the Dioceses of Fresno, Sacramento, San Bernardino and San Diego, are participating in a newly established independent compensation program in California that is available to any person who has been sexually abused as a minor by diocesan priests, no matter when that abuse might have occurred.

The new extension of statute of limitations for childhood sex abuse victims was signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom in mid-October. 

The law allows civil claims of abuse to be filed by victims until age 40, or five years after discovering the damages from the abuse.

Previously, claims had to be filed by age 26, or within three years of discovering damages from the abuse.

The new law also opens up a three-year window to revive past claims that would have expired under the previous statute of limitations. That window begins Jan. 1, 2020.

Below is the full text of the Archdiocese’s statement on the new lawsuit:

The Archdiocese has not been served with the lawsuit. Father Christopher Kearney O.F.M. Cap. is not a priest of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Fr. Kearney is a priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, an independent religious order that runs St. Francis High School. Fr. Kearney was included, as a religious order priest, in the list of publicly accused priests that the Archdiocese published in 2004. For more information on Fr. Kearney, please contact the Capuchin Order Provincial Offices.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is committed to transparency and has established reporting and prevention policies and programs to protect minors and support victim-survivors in our parishes, schools and ministries. The Archdiocese was one of the first dioceses in the nation to publish a comprehensive report in 2004 listing accused clergy both living and deceased, and released clergy files as part of a 2007 global settlement.

The Archdiocese has already cooperated with two state and one federal investigation and continues to fully cooperate with all civil authorities. Allegations of abuse involving minors whether by a member of the clergy or a layperson are reported to law enforcement, public announcements are made at the places where the person has served, and if found credible the person is permanently removed from any capacity according to the Archdiocese’s Zero Tolerance policy.

The Archdiocese also is participating in a newly established independent compensation program in California that is available to any person who has been sexually abused as a minor by diocesan priests, no matter when that abuse might have occurred.

The Archdiocese does not tolerate anyone who does harm to a child or vulnerable person and remains committed to the support and healing of victim-survivors and to ensuring that parishes, schools and ministries are safe places for everyone in our community.

For more information on the abuse reporting and prevention efforts of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, visit protect.la-archdiocese.org.

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Angelus Staff