Sexual abuse scandal in Hartford archdiocese

The sexual abuse scandal in Hartford archdiocese is an episode in the series of Catholic sex abuse cases in the United States.

Abuse Allegations

In October 2009, dozens of patients and their lawyers filed suit against the diocese of Hartford over claims that they were molested by Dr. George Reardon (not a priest) at St. Francis Hospital over an extended period of several decades. Victims's groups claim that the diocese shares legal responsibility in the cases of abuse.[1] Attorneys for the plaintiffs reached a settlement with the hospital.[2]

In 2005, the Archdiocese of Hartford paid $22 million to settle sexual abuse claims brought by 43 people against 14 priests, the majority of cases occurring in the 1960s and 1970s.[3] Mansell considered the settlement "part of a healing process for the persons whose lives have been severely harmed by the evil of sexual abuse and for the Church itself."[3] In February 2012, the jury awarded $1 million to a former altar boy, identified as Jacob Doe, who testified that he and a friend were repeatedly sexually assaulted and molested by Rev. Ivan Ferguson.[4]

As of January 2019, the Archdiocese of Hartford has paid $50.6 million to settle 146 priest sexual abuse claims against 32 priests dating back several decades,[5] to settle 146 claims against thirty-two members of the clergy.[6]

The diocese also released a list of thirty-six priests from the Hartford diocese that have been credibly accused of abuse; twenty-three are now deceased and none are currently still priests.[5] The list of the clergy who have been the objects of legal settlements or who were credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor goes back to 1953;[7] most of the claims date from before 1990.

Bishop Henry J. Mansell allegedly encouraged Edward Pipala, a New York priest who had been treated for pedophilia and barred from working with children, to seek a promotion in 1986. Pipala was later removed from duty and imprisoned for child molestation.[8]

Similar abuse in suffragan dioceses
Main articles: Sexual abuse scandal in Bridgeport diocese and Sexual abuse scandal in Providence diocese

There have been similar cases of abuse in the suffragan dioceses of the Hartford province, notably in Bridgeport and Providence, where bishops failed to deal with repeated allegations concerning pedophile priests.[9][10]

New policies against abuse

In response to the abuse scandal, the archdiocese of Hartford has adopted a set of policies designed to prevent future cases of abuse and to train diocesan laypeople and clergy to better respond to allegations of child molestation.[11]

Hopkins School

On March 24, 2020, it was announced that the prominent Hopkins School in New Haven and the Archdiocese of Hartford agreed to settle a sex abuse lawsuit involving a priest who was regularly allowed to teach at the school and who was accused of sexually abusing boys while teaching at the school between at least 1990 and 1991.[12] Both the Archdiocese of Hartford and Hopkins were accused of covering up the sex abuse and shielding the priest from potential prosecution.[12] The combined settlement totaled $7.48 million.[12] The accused priest, Glenn Goncalo, committed suicide in 1991 as arraignments were being made for him to turn himself over to the police.[12]

See also

References
  1. Hartford Archdiocese Sued Over "Wall of Secrets"
  2. Gendreau, LeAnne. "Victim Shares Details of Abuse By Reardon", NBC CT, Jun 14, 2011
  3. Yardley, William (2005-11-01). "Church Settles Abuse Claims In Hartford". The New York Times.
  4. http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-supreme-court-priest-sexual-abuse-20150626-story.html
  5. "Hartford Archdiocese has paid $50M to settle abuse claims", AP News, January 22, 2019
  6. Stewart, Doug and Hardin, Brent. "Information on Sex Abuse Cases Released by Archdiocese of Hartford", Fox 61, January 22, 2019
  7. Jain, Sujata. "Parishioners React After Archdiocese of Hartford Names Priests Accused of Sex Abuse", NBC CT, January 23, 2019
  8. "Special Reports: Catholic Bishops and Sex Abuse". BishopAccountability.org.
  9. Bridgeport sex-abuse files should be released, court rules
  10. Suit claims Connecticut diocese conspired to cover up priest sexual abuse
  11. Archdiocese of Hartford : Office of Safe Environment Archived 2011-01-28 at the Wayback Machine
  12. https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Archdiocese-New-Haven-private-school-settle-sex-15154929.php
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