Catholic Clergy Abuse in Louisiana - Press Release

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

A team of attorneys representing scores of Catholic clergy abuse victims announced that they have settled 16 cases for approximately 5 million dollars.

            The settlement follows two weeks of mediations which took place in September.  The mediations were attended by senior church officials including a Bishop from the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the Head of Catholic Charities, and The Head of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.  Also in attendance were the Provincial for the Dominican Order of Priests and the Provincial for the Salesian Order of Priests. 

            Settlement discussions are continuing in the remaining cases and if unsuccessful, they will be scheduled for trial in 2010. 

            The settlements follow four years of intense and sometimes contentious litigation.  The Archdiocese and the other Catholic defendants agreed to settle the cases when it became apparent that a Court was considering ordering the release of perhaps thousands of documents including the Catholic Church’s “secret archives”.  The plaintiff’s had battled in the Court for documents they believe would expose the severity of the Catholic clergy problem in Louisiana.  The plaintiffs believe there are many more victims in Louisiana who have not yet come forward.  They hope that the resolution of these cases may open the door for other victims who have suffered sexual abuse and lived for decades in silence.

            The cases involved abuse at Madonna Manor and Hope-Haven, Catholic operated homes for disadvantaged children.  Other cases involved sexual abuse of children at Catholic Churches, Schools and Parishes.

            Much more needs to be done to protect children from sexual abuse by clergy and to redress past wrongs.  We hope and pray the Archdiocese, and the Roman Catholic Church generally, will accept full responsibility, reach out to help all the victims, and take action to ensure that pedophile priests, abusive nuns and church workers are not allowed to continue to prey on our children attending Catholic institutions.

            The plaintiffs were represented by local attorneys Roger Stetter of New Orleans, Frank E. Lamothe, III, of Covington, Louisiana and Michael Pfau of the firm of Pfau Cochran Vertetis Kosnoff PLLC, who has handled hundreds of these cases on a nationwide basis.

            Any inquiries can be directed to lawyers at the following firms:

Frank E. Lamothe, III
Lamothe Law Firm, LLC
100 Innwood Drive, Suite B
Covington, Louisiana  70433
felamothe@lamothefirm.com
(985) 249-6800 

Roger Stetter, Esq.
Whitney National Bank Building
228 St. Charles Avenue
Suite 1219
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130
rastetter@bellsouth.net
(504) 524-9100

Michael Pfau
Pfau Cochran Vertetis Kosnoff PLLC
701 Fifth Avenue
Suite 4750
Seattle, WA  98104
michael@pcvklaw.com
(206) 462-4334