Court Rejects Suit Against Catholic Order By Adult Children of Priest

In Latty v. St. Joseph's Society of the Sacred Heart, (MD Ct. Spec. App., April 4, 2011), a Maryland appellate court dismissed a lawsuit for damages brought against the Josephite Fathers by a woman over 50 years old and a man over 60 years old, both of whom recently discovered that their biological father was likely a Catholic priest-- Father Francis E. Ryan-- who was a member of the Josephites. In the 1940's and '50's, Ryan became romantically involved with a woman who was an organist at his church.  She subsequently gave birth to plaintiffs.  Plaintiffs claim that the Josephite Fathers covered up Ryan's affair and concealed the fact that he was plaintiffs' father. The court said it did not have to decide whether the First Amendment barred the lawsuit because the court could dispose of it on other grounds.  It rejected on the merits plaintiffs' claims of concealment; intentional infliction of emotional distress; negligent hiring, supervision and retention; and breach of fiduciary duty.