The young woman, referred to in the civil lawsuit as "Jane Doe," said the Rev. Matthew Arbuckle groomed and alienated her from her family for years and exacerbated her struggles with mental health and suicidal issues, and that the diocese did not properly vet or supervise him.
The lawsuit filed Wednesday in Tippecanoe County said "Doe" now lives in Marion County and that she met Arbuckle as part of a youth group at Saint Joan of Arc in Kokomo.
In the fall of 2020, Doe contacted Arbuckle "because she was experiencing significant relationship losses (especially within her family), financial struggles and mental health issues," the lawsuit said. "Due to the frequency and subject matter of their communications, Jane Doe viewed Arbuckle as her primary means of support and her de facto mental health provider."
This included several years of sexually oriented conversations initiated by both, the document said, including when she panicked about the possibility that she was pregnant. Then she reached out to let him know she was not.
Diocese Communications Director Max Dryer said Thursday the diocese has no comment on "ongoing legal matters" and that the lawsuit addresses where Arbuckle is now: removed from ministry nearly two years ago, after notice of the lawsuit.
In 2020 and 2021, the young woman and the priest "exchanged near-daily text messages, with Jane frequently stating how much (Arbuckle) helps her and that she loves him," the court document said.
This allegedly led to "eventually crossing sexual boundaries," including hours-long phone conversations, FaceTime videos and, on two occasions, phone sex.
On March 30, 2021, "Jane Doe's mental health severely decompensated, she suffered with depression and suicidal ideation and had acquired a means of completion," the lawsuit said. She texted Arbuckle, "stating she did not want to live anymore."
Arbuckle "suggested she call him, at which time she did, disconnecting her call with the Suicide Hotline. While speaking with (Arbuckle), Jane Doe did not respond to return calls from the Suicide Hotline, resulting in a wellness check by authorities and Jane Doe's hospitalization," according to the lawsuit.
Not only did Arbuckle dissuade Doe from contacting her family about the incident and her struggles, he referred to it as "our little secret," which the lawsuit contends further isolated her and intensified her vulnerability.
Arbuckle also grew more bold about sharing his own beliefs and frustrations, including diocesan gossip, according to text chats included in the complaint.
In one such exchange, Arbuckle insulted Doe's political beliefs, writing, "Vote Republican. Vote red otherwise we're all dead. ... Your support of the Democrat party makes me seriously question how much I'm going to talk to you in the future. I don't talk to democrats. They're filth. Period."
In another text exchange, Arbuckle allegedly wrote, "Any whacko could (and plenty did) get ordained in the 70s, 80s and 90s," and he went on to complain about the bishop and fellow priests. The lawsuit calls this predatory behavior in confiding in her and sharing secrets.
The lawsuit said they would call each other pet names and "even discussed getting married and having children together."
Arbuckle eventually made "ineffective attempts to establish boundaries," which sent Doe into depression, "feeling betrayed, confused, ashamed and doubting her ability to detach from (Arbuckle) as her only source of support," the lawsuit said. Doe "often spent her days in bed, not showering or eating, and struggled to maintain daily living skills and functioning."
On Nov. 9, 2022, Arbuckle threatened "to go on a shooting spree" if Doe's mother contacted the bishop, and he sent a photo of one of his guns. But the lawsuit said her mother did contact another priest about a month later.
On Nov. 25, 2022, the diocese called Arbuckle to the office to discuss the report, the complaint said. "Concerned for their physical safety, diocesan officials summoned the Lafayette Police Department because of (Arbuckle's) shooting spree threat. Upon searching (his) vehicle, the police officer found a loaded 9mm pistol and an extra magazine."
Other court records show that a red-flag case was filed against the priest. The judge found Arbuckle "dangerous" and ordered his guns seized: two shotguns, a .22 rifle, an AR-15, a handgun and a Beretta CX4 Storm. The case was closed and the guns returned nearly a year later.
In December, the diocese publicly announced Arbuckle was suspended from public ministry. The lawsuit documents refer to "intensive treatment," but the details are redacted.
In October 2023, the diocese announced Arbuckle was assigned to public ministry at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Cicero, Indiana, where parishioners "were told only that Bishop Doherty had deemed (Arbuckle) fit to return to public ministry after working on personal issues that led to his absence from public ministry."
He was again removed from ministry about a year later, when the diocese received notice of Doe's formal complaint, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit alleges several counts against the defendants, including negligence provision of mental health counseling, infliction of emotional distress, negligent supervision and negligent hiring. It also requests punitive damages.
Arbuckle "willfully, maliciously and intentionally, without regard for the consequences and rights of Jane Doe, used his spiritual authority to exploit Jane Dane, causing her to lose her faith in God and church," the lawsuit said. "Jane Doe, struggling to find a new spirituality, may never fully trust a minister or church again."