Thursday, October 20, 2011

Vatican named in lawsuit alleging sexual abuse

A lawsuit has been filed against the Vatican and the Archdiocese of Chicago alleging sexual abuse by a former priest and other staff at Maryville Academy in the 1960s.

Charles Anderson is serving time in Shawnee Correctional Center for armed robbery. 

The 60-year-old alleges the Maryville priest sodomized him after calling him to his office to punish him for playing with matches.

The Chicago Tribune reports court records indicate an archdiocese investigation turned up no proof the priest, who quit in 1971, engaged in abuse.

Anderson's lawyer, Robert Holstein, said Wednesday the lawsuit is "an effort to fix his moral compass that was severely damaged" from the abuse.

The Vatican's lawyer in the U.S., Jeffrey Lena, is calling the lawsuit baseless, adding it "does not even merit a response."