Sister Martin Marie
Archdiocese of New Orleans
Ordained: N/A
Died: 2019
Assigned as follows:
- St. Mary Manor (Philadelphia, PA)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Sister Martin Marie:
Sister Martin Marie (aka Theresa M. Gmeiner) was a nun of the School Sisters of Notre Dame who professed her vows in 1952. For most of her professional life, she served as an elementary grade school teacher in various places in Pennsylvania. In 1997, she served as Pastoral Minister at St. Mary Manor.
According to media reports, in August 2005, Sister Martin Marie was named in a lawsuit filed by six men alleging they were sexually molested, beaten and humiliated 40 years earlier by nuns, priests and civilian staff members at Madonna Manor, a Catholic home for troubled boys in Marrero. The plaintiffs' were between the ages of 4 and 14 at the time, and in many cases named staff members and recounted specific beatings and incidences of rape or sexual molestation. According to one media report, Sister Martin Marie was "a huge, ugly, mean woman" whom the kids called "Mastadon" behind her back. In addition to sadistic sexual abuse, Sister Martin Marie would reportedly beat the kids with a fold-out army shovel.
In March 2006, Sister Martin Marie was named in another wave of lawsuits filed by eight more men who lived as children at Madonna Manor in the 1950s and 1960s, who alleged they were frequently beaten and sexually abused at the home. A total of 17 alleged perpetrators of child sexual abuse were named from Madonna Manor. The suits were settled for $5.2 million in 2009.
In August 2019, Sister Martin Marie died. One month later in September, she was again accused in a lawsuit, along with Monsignor Raymond Hebert, Sisters Gertrude Marie, Alvin Marie and lay worker Charlie Earhart, of repeatedly physically and sexually abusing a boy over a period of 10 years, beginning in 1965, at Madonna Manor. The suit accused Sisters Martin Marie, Alvin Marie, Gertrude Marie and of regularly hitting him with a paddle. In January 2020, before the Archdiocese of New Orleans filed for bankruptcy, the Archdiocese paid $325,000 to resolve a case filed against Sister Martin Marie, Father Raymond Herbert, Madonna Manor and other who worked at the facility.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims of sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The Archdiocese of New Orleans filed for federal bankruptcy protection in April 2020. Our lawyers are now offering free legal consultations to discuss your legal options as a survivor of sexual abuse by priests and other employees of the New Orleans Archdiocese.
Very strict filing deadlines will soon be set by the Bankruptcy Court. Most victims of abuse will never be able to recover damages if they miss this deadline, so please contact us to discuss your case today. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an e-mail to adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com.