2 Minnesota Catholic Dioceses Sued In Demand For Files of Abusive Priests

In a suit filed in a Minnesota state trial court on Wednesday against two Catholic dioceses, plaintiff who claims to have been abused as a 13-year old boy by Catholic priest James Vincent Fitzgerald is seeking release by the dioceses of the complete files of priests who have been credibly accused of abuse. As reported by Forum News Service, the alleged victim, identified only as "Doe 30", has sued the Diocese of Duluth and the Diocese of New Ulm saying that the abuse occurred in 1976. This is the third suit by various victims against the Diocese of Duluth demanding release of files.  So far the diocese has only released the names (along with basic biographical data) of accused priests. Fitzgerald worked at 6 parishes of the Diocese of Duluth from 1957 to 1983, and worked in the New Ulm diocese from 1977-78. Plaintiff's attorney claims the Duluth Diocese knew of should have known of Fitzgerald's actions and moved him between parishes where he continued to have access to children. The Diocese however says that no abuse complaints against Fitzgerald surfaced prior to late last year.