Two brothers are suing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland on claims church officials knew a priest was sexually abusing them and other children but did nothing to stop it.In complaints filed in Cumberland County Superior Court, Jeffrey and Frederick Conroy say the late Father James Vallely abused them from approximately 1976 through approximately 1979 when they were altar boys at St. Michael's Parish in South Berwick.
Frederick Conroy is now 46 and lives in Massachusetts.
Jeffrey Conroy is 45 and lives in Texas. Vallely died in 1997.
The suits seek unspecified damages on claims including fraudulent concealment, infliction of emotional distress and negligent supervision.
Boston lawyer Mitchell Garabedian said the Conroys are two of nine people he represents who were abused by Vallely between 1958 and 1979 while they were between 8 and 16 years old.
A woman he represented agreed to a $200,000 out-of-court settlement with the church in 2009 over her allegations against Vallely.
"Unfortunately, these cases are additional examples of the Diocese of Portland and the Catholic Church not caring about the protection and safety of children," Garabedian said Tuesday.