The Archdiocese of Miami is facing yet another
lawsuit by a man who claims he was sexually abused by a Catholic priest
in the 1970s.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday
in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, claims Father Francisco Carrera sexually
abused Jorge Rubio when he was a 10-year-old in approximately 1976.
"He became an extension of my family. We trusted him with everything," Rubio said at a press conference Thursday.
Carrera was assigned at Our
Lady of Divine Providence at the time of the alleged abuse, and became
close to the Rubio family to obtain their confidence and trust, the
lawsuit claims.
Rubio said Carrera was
known for being a camper and often set up trips and invited boys form
the church to go on overnight trips.
The suit claims Carrera
abused Rubio twice, once at Rubio's house while his parents were asleep
and a second time while the two slept alone in a tent during a camping
trip.
The lawsuit claims the
Archdiocese was aware of the alleged abuse by Carrera and that it
covered up for him by transferring him to different parishes and
eventually back to his native Spain.
"Everybody should be held accountable," Rubio said. "Someone in that position should be held even more accountable."
In a statement issued
Thursday, The Archdiocese said Carrera has resided in his home Diocese
of Salamanca, Spain, since the early 1980s.
"As always, the Catholic
Church’s concerns are for the victims and a prevailing sense of
justice," the statement said.
"In addition, over these past nine years,
the Archdiocese has been forthcoming and taken steps to keep children
safe through training and background screenings of all its employees."