A Crystal Lake priest who allegedly asked his congregation whether they should send a critical parishioner “to Hell or another parish” will apologize as part of a court settlement.Rev. Luis Alfredo Rios has privately apologized to Angel R. Llavona, an Algonquin man who sued Rios and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford for intentional infliction of emotional distress.
But, the priest will apologize at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish both to Llavona and anyone else hurt by his actions, said attorney Gregory Snyder, who represented Rios and the diocese.
Rios and the diocese also will cover the costs Llavona incurred throughout his lawsuit, although the dollar amount has not been disclosed. McHenry County Judge Maureen McIntyre formally dismissed the lawsuit Tuesday after learning of the settlement.
The original lawsuit sought well over $50,000 in damages and also alleged that Rios defamed Llavona, impugned on his reputation as a teacher and a good Catholic and publicly disclosed private facts. McIntyre threw out all the counts except the intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The dispute between the two men dates back to December 2005, when Llavona wrote a bishop asking for a change in leadership at the church, according to the lawsuit. He later joined a picket at the diocese asking for the change and called Rios to criticize his homilies.
At two Masses on Oct. 1, 2006, Rios played two critical voice messages Llavona had left him and then alleged criticized Llavona’s role in the church’s youth religious education program, according to the lawsuit.
“What should we do, should we send him to Hell or to another parish?” Rios asked the congregation, according to the lawsuit.
Llavona did in fact leave the congregation and filed the lawsuit in October 2007, according to court documents.
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(Source: NH)