SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Saying they should not have to pay for someone else’s mistakes, Catholic leaders in San Bernardino, Calif., have sued the Archdiocese of Boston for not disclosing a transferred priest’s history of sexual abuse.
The suit is thought to be the first of its kind in the American church. The Diocese of San Bernardino said it cannot afford to settle an abuse case involving Paul Shanley, who was sent as a “priest in good standing” from Boston in 1990.
A suit filed by Kevin English against both dioceses alleges that he was abused by Shanley from the age of 17. At least 30 other men have charged Shanley with abuse. The ex-priest is free on bail while awaiting trial on rape charges.
The suit, filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court, charges the Boston church with “misrepresentations and suppression of information” and “active misconduct and negligence,” according to The Los Angeles Times.
Share with others: