A statement of claim was filed March 6 against the estate of Father Eugene Verhulst and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg.
The 47-year-old plaintiff alleges in the statement of claim that he endured inappropriate touching by Verhulst and was made to perform oral and anal sex from approximately age 10 to 12.
The alleged abuse happened in various places, including the back room of Ste-Claire's Church in San Clara, a community about 30 kilometres north of Roblin, near the Saskatchewan border.
While getting ready for mass, Verhulst would make the boy sit on his knee so he could fix his hair, then rub his leg and crotch, the lawsuit claims.
In his study, Verhulst called the boy around the desk to show him how to draw the church bell. He sat the boy on his knee and fondled the boy's penis, then had the boy touch his, the claim says.
On multiple occasions, during overnight trips to church in Roblin, Verhulst would wake the boy up and take him to his room. There, Verhulst would bathe the boy, touch him, and make him engage in sex, the lawsuit claims.
When the boy was reluctant, Verhulst became angry and scared him into doing it, the claim says. Verhulst later told the boy it was OK to do it because some of the older boys — whom the younger boy looked up to — liked to do it, too, it says.
Once, while driving from Roblin to San Clara, Verhulst stopped the car and took the boy for a walk to a bush where he made the boy perform oral sex, the court document says. They boy felt angry, embarrassed, isolated and alone and didn't want to get back into the car, so Verhulst started driving away, while the boy ran behind, the claim says.
Verhulst "wrongfully and intentionally sexually, emotionally and mentally abused and traumatized the plaintiff," the claim says.
His conduct was "malicious and was done with the knowledge that it would cause the plaintiff humiliation, indignity, physical and emotional harm and mental distress and injury," the claim says.
The archdiocese failed to act and protect the boy when it knew or ought to have known or was wilfully blind to the abuse, the claim says, making the archdiocese vicariously liable for the abuse.
None of the allegations have been proven in court. A statement of defence has yet to be filed.
The archdiocese of Winnipeg declined comment on the case because it is before the courts.
As a result of the alleged abuse, the plaintiff suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and substance abuse disorder, struggles to trust and be intimate with others, suffers periods of frustration, uncontrollable anger and impulsivity and lacks self-worth and self-esteem, the lawsuit claims.
"As a result of the negligence of the [archdiocese], the plaintiff suffered and will continue to suffer loss of enjoyment of life and special damages, including but not limited to medical expenses, and will continue to require therapy and medical attention," the claim says.
The man, who now lives in B.C., is seeking general damages, special damages, punitive damages, aggravated damages, exemplary damages and damages for breach of fiduciary duty.