Diocese of Rochester
If you have been sexually abused by a priest – or anyone else working in the Diocese of Rochester – you may have a limited time to seek justice due to the recent passage of the Child Victims Act. Horowitz Law is now evaluating legal claims for anyone sexually abused by a priest, brother, nun, teacher, coach, or other lay employees of the Diocese of Rochester. Contact us today at 954-641-2100 to learn more.
For the first time ever in New York state, people over the age of 25 can file civil lawsuits seeking justice for the lifetime of hurt and shame that is caused by childhood sexual abuse. That is still true even though the Diocese of Rochester has filed for bankruptcy.
Due to the recent passage of the long-fought Child Victims Act in early 2019, people over the age of 25 now have the ability to file civil lawsuits for damages resulting from childhood sexual abuse in New York state.
A short “window” of time, as it is often called, will allow anyone sexually abused as a child in New York State to file lawsuits against their perpetrators and the institutions that protected and enabled the abusers, even if the statute of limitations had previously run out. The window is expected to open in the summer of 2019, but will only be open for a very limited time. Once the window has expired, many clergy sexual abuse claims will be forever barred.
In September 2019, the Diocese of Rochester filed for federal bankruptcy protection. Anyone sexually abused by anyone employed by the Diocese, including priests, teachers, and youth ministers, is eligible to file a claim for damages in the bankruptcy court. The Diocese of Rochester’s bankruptcy file does not mean that sexual abuse survivors are left out in the cold – but it does mean that very strict filing deadlines will apply once they are set by the Bankruptcy Court. If you miss these filing deadlines, you may never be able to sue the Diocese of Rochester in the future.
In addition to those sexually abused as children, anyone sexually abused as an adult and even the estates of deceased victims may be able to file claims in the bankruptcy court.
Therefore, it is very important that you contact us today to determine your legal options against the Diocese of Rochester and anyone else who has hurt you.
Our lawyers are among the most experienced in the country in cases of clergy sexual abuse – and experience matters when bishops have the toughest lawyers in America working hard to protect their secrets.
Sexual abuse by any member of the clergy is an egregious breach of trust. Adam Horowitz is among the most experienced attorneys in the country in representing persons sexually abused by priests from the Catholic church and clergy of many other faiths. Since 2000, the lawyers of Horowitz Law have handled hundreds of clergy sexual abuse cases involving various religious institutions, including Roman Catholic dioceses and religious orders nationwide. These cases have arisen in religious schools, churches and parishes, seminaries, religious counseling, retreats, schools and other activities sponsored by religious institutions.
In these cases, the lawyers of Horowitz Law have often prevailed on complex issues involving statutes of limitations, the First Amendment, and the discovery of “confidential” records that the Catholic Church has tried to conceal for nearly a century in some cases. In fighting these battles, our attorneys have become very familiar with the church’s unique hierarchy, record-keeping policies, terminology, and defense tactics, and are often called upon by colleagues to consult on these matters.
Most importantly, we have become familiar with the unique challenges and needs of survivors of clergy sexual abuse – and their families – during the legal process. Your safety and well-being are always our first priority.
Through our own investigation, our team has identified 60 clergy and employees in the Diocese of Rochester who have been publicly accused of sexually abusing minors.
Unlike many of his colleagues, Bishop Salvatore Matano has refused to release the names of priests assigned in the Diocese of Rochester who have been accused of sexual abuse. However, we know that there is healing in truth, and we believe that information should be made public. Therefore, through our own efforts, our lawyers have compiled what we believe is the most comprehensive list available of priests and other clergy who have worked in the Diocese of Rochester. Our list is expected to grow as more survivors come forward to speak their truth.
So far, we have identified a staggering 60 clergy and lay employees who have been publicly accused of sexually abusing minors. In many cases, the men listed below were merely transferred from parish to parish after allegations arose, and left a long trail of victims across the Diocese of Rochester.
The accused perpetrators we have identified are:
- Fr. David L. Bonin
- Mr. Brian Buff
- Fr. Thomas W. Burr
- Mr. Alexander Capo (teacher)
- Fr. Cornelius Carr (Jesuit priest)
- Fr. Albert H. Cason
- Fr. Bernard Casper
- Fr. Paul I. Cloonan
- Fr. J. Peter Conroy (Jesuit priest)
- Fr. Thomas Corbett
- Fr. John M. Costello (Jesuit priest)
- Fr. Joseph D’Aurizio
- Fr. Emmett Davis
- Fr. Thomas Denny (Jesuit priest)
- Fr. Roy Drake (Jesuit priest)
- Msgr. George Eckl
- Fr. Benedict Ehmann
- Fr. Eugene Emo
- Fr. John Farrand (Jesuit priest)
- Fr. John Gormley
- Fr. David Gramkee
- Fr. Gerard Guli
- Fr. Robert W. Hammond
- Fr. Richard Hart
- Br. John Laurence Heathwood (Christian Brother)
- Fr. David Heinsler
- Fr. G. Stuart Hogan
- Fr. Joseph Larrabee
- Fr. William D. Lum
- Fr. Charles J. McCarthy
- Fr. John Merklinger
- Fr. Mark Miller
- Fr. Norbert Nolan
- Fr. William J. O’Malley
- Fr. Robert F. O’Neill
- Fr. Richard J. Orlando
- Fr. Vincent Panepinto
- Mr. Ted Randall
- Mr. Leonard Riforgiato (Jesuit seminarian-deacon)
- Fr. Foster P. Rogers
- Mr. Ted Russell
- Fr. William Scanlon (Jesuit priest)
- Fr. Paul R. Schnacky
- Fr. Dennis Sewar
- Fr. Dennis Shaw
- Fr. Gary P. Shaw
- Fr. David P. Simon
- Fr. John J. Steger
- Fr. Conrad Sundholm
- Mr. John J. Tobin (teacher)
- Fr. Thomas J. Valenti
- Fr. Erick Viloria
- Fr. Robert Voelkle (Jesuit priest)
- Fr. Francis H. Vogt
- Fr. Otto Vogt
- Fr. Michael Volino
- Br. John Walderman
- Br. John D. Walsh (Franciscan Brother)
- Mr. Stephen Ward
- Fr. Robert Winterkorn
- Fr. James Wolfe
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Rochester. The Diocese of Rochester in New York filed for bankruptcy protection in 2019. Our lawyers are now offering free legal consultations to discuss a potential lawsuit and your other options as a survivor of sexual abuse by priests and other employees of the Rochester Diocese.
Very strict filing deadlines have now been 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 954-641-2100 or send an email.