Man Sues Catholic Diocese in Texas on Abuse Claims

A man who alleges he was sexually molested by a Catholic priest in the 1970s has filed a civil lawsuit against a West Texas diocese and the Jesuits, claiming the defendants knew or should have known of the abuses and didn’t protect him.

The man, identified as John Doe 103, claims the Jesuit priest convinced him to become an altar boy at Sacred Heart Church in El Paso. The suit claims he was molested over a two-year span. The lawsuit says abuses occurred in the priest’s vehicle on the way to church functions.

The priest is not being sued because he could not be located.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso said it does not comment on ongoing cases. The Jesuits will wait to read the lawsuit before commenting.