Six priests from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse are facing allegations of child sexual abuse in lawsuits filed Wednesday under a new law that temporarily waves the statute of limitation for survivors to file suit.

The New York Child Victims Act, signed in February, creates a one-year “lookback window” that allows survivors of child sexual abuse to sue their abusers and the institutions that enabled them in civil court — even if the alleged abuse occurred decades ago. Survivors whose cases are past the state’s statute of limitations can only file lawsuits within the one-year window, which officially opened Wednesday at midnight.

The six accused priests — Daniel Casey, Felix Colosimo, Bernard Garstka, Edward Madore, Thomas Neary and Wilhelm Golli — were named at a Thursday press conference held by attorneys for the law firms Jeff Anderson & Associates and LaFave, Wein & Frament.

“Survivors no longer have to live in the shadows, suffering in secrecy,” said Jeff Anderson, an attorney for Jeff Anderson & Associates, of the Child Victims Act.

One member of the Diocese of Syracuse, Wilhelm Golli, was newly accused of child sexual abuse when a survivor brought their lawsuit forward, Anderson said. The other five priests were previously identified on a list of 57 Syracuse clerical officals deemed credibly accused of child sexual abuse that was published by the diocese in December 2018.

Under the new law, survivors of child sexual abuse can seek criminal action until age 28 and civil action until age 55. Previously, survivors of child sexual abuse could only pursue criminal action until they were 23 years old.

As of Wednesday night, more than 400 lawsuits across the state have been filed since the window opened, CNN reported. 262 of those lawsuits are against Catholic bishops in New York, Anderson said.

Statewide, more than 60 members of the Catholic Diocese have been newly accused of child sexual abuse under the Child Victims Act, according to data presented at Thursday’s press conference.

Less than one-quarter of child sexual abuse reports made by survivors to the Catholic Diocese are deemed credible, Anderson said. He said that in cases of sexual abuse of a child by a priest, a church’s law against public scrutiny requires the abuse be kept secret, with bishops placing all records of abuse in confidential files. This is why new accusations are being revealed now under the new law, Anderson added.

The practice of secrecy and hiding scandal leads to the removal or transfer of priests to other dioceses, parishes or states, Anderson said. Through moving to new locations, the abusers often commit multiple offenses, he said.

The six alleged perpetrators from Syracuse’s diocese have been located throughout New York in the cities of Syracuse, Utica, Rome, Skaneateles and Johnson City, said Cynthia LaFave, of LaFave, Wein & Frament.

In addition to the six lawsuits currently levied against the Syracuse Diocese, the two law firms are also representing 22 survivors of clerical abuse that have not yet filed suit. The firms will also be working with survivors to levy lawsuits against other entities, such as the Boy Scouts of America, LaFave said.

Taylor Stippel, of Jeff Anderson & Associates, encouraged additional survivors to come forward. Stippel said to the survivors that they are not alone and that the abuse was not their fault.

“It’s time to reclaim the power that was stolen from you,” Stippel said. “It’s time for truth.”

To LaFave, the Child Victims Act has created a shift of power. The survivors who are bringing their experiences to light are protecting both current and future generations of children, she said.

Anderson said the firms look forward to working with the Catholic bishops across the state to help them reform past practices and give healing and hope to survivors. The Catholic bishops have already begun to offer apologies, he said.

“Apologies do not protect kids,” Anderson said. “What protects kids is action, and it has been legal action that has caused a real change to be brought forth.”

Bishop of Syracuse Douglas Lucia, of the Diocese of Syracuse, shared a letter to the diocesan community prior to the opening of the lookback window. The statement was later published Wednesday on the diocese’s website and reads, in part:

“The Child Victims Act opens a one-year window for litigation for all victims of child abuse in New York State. This legislation affects not only the Church, but other societal institutions and organizations as well. Collectively, we will experience afresh the pain of sacred trust violated and of the victims and their families whose spirits and lives have been so demoralized and harmed. To all victims, I once again in the name of the Diocese of Syracuse apologize most deeply and sincerely for the heinous acts perpetrated against them by their abusers who were supposed to be the caregivers of souls. I renew my own offer to meet with victims, if there is any way I can assist them in their search for healing and peace.

In the coming days and weeks, parishes and other diocesan institutions may be contacted concerning a civil lawsuit. We will turn all such matters over to legal counsel to ensure that they are handled properly and fairly. I am committed to be as forthcoming as we are able in such matters while respecting the confidentiality that accompanies the due process of law.

I think it is vital also to not forget the important strides this local Church has been taking in this area in trying to acknowledge its failures and seeking to ensure that our children are safe, including all that is being done for the Protection of Children and Young Adults and for Victims Assistance by the Diocese of Syracuse. An important component has been the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP) which invited victims through an independent process to be compensated for their hurt and suffering. Although we know that a program cannot take away the pain of abuse, it has been a means of reparation for harm done.”

Published on August 15, 2019 at 5:26 pm

Contact Emma: esfolts@syr.edu