An unnamed victim of child sexual abuse by a priest filed an anonymous lawsuit in Kent County Superior Court this morning against the priest and the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington.The “John Doe” civil action is believed to be the first of its kind in Delaware in a priest abuse case, according to the man’s attorney, Thomas S. Neuberger.
“This case is very important because we are beginning to use John Doe plaintiffs so the victims do not have to identify themselves, add to their injury and suffer public embarrassment in revealing what occurred to them,” he said.
Neuberger said he hopes the use of the “John Doe” status will encourage others to come forward before the deadline for filing retroactive abuse lawsuits expires next year.
“John Doe” lawsuits are rare in Delaware. Two federal lawsuits alleging religious bias by downstate school districts included “Doe” plaintiffs who claimed they would face persecution and retaliation if their names were revealed.
According to Neuberger, Doe is now 58 and was abused by now-retired Rev. Francis DeLuca at St. John the Beloved Church from 1961 to 1964 when he was an altar boy and DeLuca was an assistant pastor.
Doe is a married U.S. Marine Corps veteran who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to Neuberger, and suffers a variety of conditions including alcoholism as a result of his childhood abuse.
Robert G. Krebs, spokesman for the Diocese of Wilmington, said they had not yet seen the lawsuit and could not comment. An attorney for DeLuca could not be immediately reached for comment this morning.
According to the suit, DeLuca abused the boy at St. John the Beloved on Milltown Road as well as at hotels during trips to Salisbury, Baltimore and New York City.
Neuberger alleges, as has been charged in other priest abuse suits, that the Catholic Diocese was aware of abuse allegations against the priest but chose to cover them up and move the alleged abuser from place to place.
An earlier federal lawsuit against DeLuca, filed by Robert Quill of Florida, was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum and an apology from the church to the victim.
Today’s lawsuit and several other recent civil actions were filed under the Delaware Child Victim’s Act of 2007, which created a two year window for past victims to come forward before a statute of limitations deadline is re-imposed.
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