The Catholic Diocese of Peoria is being sued by a person who claims {that a} defrocked priest sexually abused him when he was a scholar and parishioner at St. Vincent de Paul Parish within the late Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s.
Michael Eckert, whose household attended St. Vincent de Paul between 1997-2003, mentioned in a lawsuit filed in Peoria County on Monday that Father Thomas Miller had sexually abused him as soon as a month in that interval. The abuse lasted from when Eckert was 8 years outdated till he was 14.
In keeping with the initial complaint, filed by Eckert’s attorneys at St. Paul-based Jeff Anderson & Associates, the diocese was negligent in permitting Miller to be alone with him and different kids throughout this era, saying that there wasn’t an satisfactory system in place to observe or supervise abusive monks like Miller.
Extra: Sweeping investigation reveals decades of scandals within Catholic Diocese of Peoria
The grievance says that Miller’s alleged abuse injured Eckert “bodily, psychologically, spiritually, and emotionally.” As well as, it additionally accuses the diocese of participating in a decades-long cover-up of sexual abuse allegations, with officers having data of kid sexual abuse within the clergy as early as 1946.
In complete, Anderson & Associates named 53 completely different monks as being accused of kid sexual abuse sooner or later whereas working with the diocese, together with Miller. Lots of these have been named in Illinois Legal professional Normal Kwame Raoul’s 2023 report on baby sexual abuse within the Catholic church within the state, which accuses the diocese of lots of the identical issues alleged within the lawsuit, comparable to defending these accused of sexual abuse and poor report protecting.
‘He’s now not afraid’
Jeff Anderson, lead lawyer for Anderson & Associates, mentioned throughout a Monday press conference that Eckert coming ahead was a “brave” act, saying that he had suffered in “secrecy” and “silence” for a few years earlier than submitting the go well with.
“He’s now not afraid,” Anderson mentioned. “He’s freed by the reality. We’re honored by his braveness in coming ahead and utilizing his identify on this lawsuit.”
Anderson mentioned that Eckert wished different kids to be shielded from abusive monks together with exposing the diocese’s practices towards these accused of abusing kids. He mentioned that prior leaders on the diocese, comparable to former Bishops John Meyers and Daniel Jenky, selected to guard the status of the church over the lives of younger folks.
Extra: The list of 51 Peoria Catholic Diocese clergy named in a 2023 report on child sex abuse
“Bishop Meyers and Bishop Jenky, time and time once more, ignored reviews (and) complaints, selected to guard the status of the Diocese of Peoria and the monks like Father Miller on the peril of Michael and so many youngsters,” Anderson mentioned.
He mentioned that the diocese made selections to disregard the hazard introduced forth by defending Miller and different abusive monks and hiding behind statutes of limitations that prevented authorized motion from being introduced forth towards them.
“They can not cover it any longer, as a result of this case is introduced throughout the statute of limitations,” Anderson mentioned. “They can not use it to cover the reality.”
Priest suspended and eliminated after ‘credible allegations’
Miller was suspended from the ministry in 2004 after the diocese acquired “credible allegations” of sexual abuse towards a boy when he was working in Bloomington 25 years prior. He had been set to switch again there shortly earlier than the now-36-year-old synthetic the accusation towards him.
Ultimately, extra folks got here ahead with allegations towards Miller, with an investigation performed by the diocese earlier than the Vatican made the choice to take away him from the priesthood in November 2006. He was the primary priest within the diocese recognized to have been eliminated over accusations of sexual misconduct.
Nonetheless, the diocese did not totally admit Miller’s standing as a substantiated baby abuser till 2018 and the lawsuit says that they have not launched particulars about when and the place he was sexually abusing kids throughout his tenure with the diocese, which started in 1979.
He was listed among the many 51 monks within the Peoria diocese named as a part of Raoul’s report as being sexual abusers.
In a press release supplied to the Journal Star on Tuesday, Bishop Louis Tylka, the present head of the diocese, mentioned that he was dedicated to selling their applications to advertise a protected setting for youngsters at their parishes and faculties, whereas additionally asking for prayer for individuals who have suffered from abuse.
“We take severely any accusation that’s manufactured from misconduct by a priest, deacon, spiritual or lay worker,” Tylka mentioned. “I’m sorry to all those that have been/are affected by the sin of abuse. As Bishop of the Diocese of Peoria, I stay dedicated to selling the protected setting applications now we have in place to offer a protected haven for youngsters and younger folks. I ask in your ongoing prayers as we proceed to work collectively to safeguard all of God’s folks, and particularly those that have suffered.”
A listening to within the case is ready for Aug. 22 at 9:30 a.m., with Peoria County Circuit Choose Timothy Cusack presiding over the proceedings.
Extra: ‘He messed up my life’: 2 Chillicothe boys endured repeated sexual abuse by priest
This text initially appeared on Journal Star: Lawsuit claims priest sexually abused boy at Peoria Catholic church
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