Diocese releases names of alleged St. Ignatius abusers
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HELENA – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena has released the names of dozens of clergy people accused of wide-reaching sexual abuse that dated back to the 1930s, spanned several decades and included a number of victims who attended a now-defunct church-affiliated boarding schools in St. Ignatius.
As part of a bankruptcy settlement reached earlier this year, the Diocese has agreed to post the names of alleged abusers on its website for the next decade.
“It’s an acknowledgement of accountability, responsibility and wrongdoing,” attorney Bryan Smith of the Washington-based Tamaki Law firm said. The firm represented 95 of the 392 abuse survivors who filed a class action suit in 2012. “The acknowledgement is really important for abuse survivors who have lived for decades carrying this trauma, thinking they were alone, thinking no one would believe them. It is part of a healing process that is important in cases like this. Money is one part … but really acknowledgement of wrongdoing helps abuse survivors have some closure.”
Smith said the list might also help other victims come forward.
“Often, they think they are alone,” Smith said. “They think they are the only ones.”
The list includes two priests who worked in Ronan, two priests who worked in Bigfork, 10 priests who worked in St. Ignatius, three lay persons who worked at the St. Ignatius mission, and 22 Ursuline nuns who were associated with the St. Ignatius church or the Ursuline Boarding School that closed decades ago.
Court documents say children at the boarding school underwent horrific sexual abuse including rape and being subjects of child pornography. The average age of the victims was 10 years old, the lawsuit alleged. Most of the victims are now in their 50s and 60s.
Smith said the case has mostly wrapped up and victims are beginning to receive their portion of the $20 million settlement agreement. A $920,000 trust has been set up for any future victims that might come forward.
In March, church leadership filed for bankruptcy as part of settlement.
“The confirmation of this joint plan is a direct result of a mediation-based approach to the hundreds of claims brought against the Diocese,” said Michael A. Patterson in a press release. Patterson represents the firm of Patterson Buchanan Fobes & Leitch, which led the group of attorneys defending the Diocese when multiple claims began to be brought in 2011. “Energy and dollars that would have otherwise been used in court battles were redeployed to the mediation and settlement process. This enabled the Diocese, the plaintiffs, and the insurers to hand off the basics of a deal to the bankruptcy process,” said Patterson.
Church leadership issued this statement in regards to the settlement:
“We wish to thank all of the parties, including the sexual abuse victims, our insurers, our counsel, and the entire Catholic community of western Montana, for helping bring this very difficult chapter in the history of our church to an equitable resolution,” said Bishop Thomas.
