A recent lawsuit in Missouri claims that Omaha Archbishop George Lucas sexually abused a teenage seminarian in St. Louis during the late 80s. Lucas strongly denies this allegation. The lawsuit is part of a wide-ranging legal case involving multiple abuse allegations against the Roman Catholic diocese of St. Louis.
The lawsuit was filed in St. Louis Circuit Court by a person only as D. S., due to his initials being used for his identity protection. He claims that Lucas, then a teacher at the now-defunct St. Louis Preparatory Seminary School, sexually abused him during one-on-one sessions overseen by Lucas (then serving as a priest of the St. Louis archdiocese). According to D. S, these sessions were merely an excuse for Lucas to sexually abuse him, involving sexual acts initiated by Lucas.
Response from Lucas
In defense to these allegations, Archbishop George Lucas completely denies them in a statement provided by the Omaha Archdiocese; he asserted: “I outright reject the claim made anonymously about me having any sexual contact with anyone else, ever – this matter has been referred to Pope Francis’ representative (the apostolic nuncio) in Washington D. C for his guidance.”
Information on Lawsuit
This lawsuit also includes naming major parties such as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis and Archbishop Mitchell T Rozanski as defendants. Among the 27 grown-up plaintiffs who affirm they experienced sexual abuse as minors from priests or archdiocesan workers, D. S is one of them – stating he faced such encounters around 1988 when he was still junior high school-based student.
Wider Context
This lawsuit is part of a wave of legal action against the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Another similar legal action came on Wednesday when another case was filed in the same court by 25 men and women alleging that they were sexually abused by Catholic priests or nuns, with church officials failing to prevent it. The lawsuits deal with abuse over many years, reporting incidents from as early as 1940s to as recent as 2015, stating that church higher-ups knowingly let abusers interact with minors regularly, often by moving them around across their archdiocese.
Legal Consequences and Financial Repercussions
A demand for an unspecified amount in both compensatory and punitive damages has been lodged in this lawsuit. The St. Louis Archdiocese and its present Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski are being accused of purposely hiding instances of abuse thereby aiding its continued occurrence. David Clohessy public figure for SNAP: Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, claimed that a rise in similar lawsuits can be expected soon as victims come forward.
Background Information on Archbishop Lucas
Born in St. Louis originally, George Lucas had been serving his position as Omaha archbishop since 2009. Before this role, he held the position of Springfields’ bishop based out of Illinois. Upon the discovery of abusive records by Omaha Archdiocese’s clergy being forwarded to Nebraska Attorney General’s office, Lucas took responsibility releasing a public apology along with addressing clergy abuse issues.
Effects Caused by Lawsuits
The recently occurring lawsuits have brought some serious attention back towards sexual abuse happening within Catholic Church context. Accusations being made assert archdiocesan authorities have consciously acted recklessly for several years covering or neglecting abuse reports hence permitting perpetrators to proceed with child harm. Legal firms Bailey & Glasser, Levy Konigsberg and Randles Mata are appointed to represent these plaintiffs looking to hold those responsible for the inflicted injuries and working towards preventing potential similar abuse.
Final Thoughts
The claims against Archbishop George Lucas along with the accumulating legal action on-going against Archdiocese of St. Louis further provides evidence supporting continuous issues in Catholic Church regarding managing sexual harassment allegations. Current focus remains on ensuring that justice is served promptly for the victims while taking necessary precautions to prevent future instances of abuse. The involvement of Apostolic Nuncio and Lucas denying allegations completely shines light on the serious nature of this situation demanding thorough probing alongside maintaining accountability.