LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on a California man suing the Vatican for the release of the names of all offenders within the church worldwide. (all times local):
Manuel Vega, who says he was sexually abused by a priest over a five-year period decades ago, pauses as he talks about his lawsuit against the Vatican, seeking the names of all offenders within the church worldwide, at a news conference in Los Angeles Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. Vega, now 52, reached a settlement with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2007, but his attorneys said Thursday that doesn’t release the Vatican from responsibility. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, Oct. 3 in federal court in California, accuses the Vatican of placing the Rev. Fidencio Silva-Flores in a position of power at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Oxnard, Calif., and says it should have known he posed a danger to children. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
3:40 p.m.
A California man suing the Vatican to release the names of all sexually abusive priests worldwide says he’s fighting for the truth for victims.
Manny Vega of Oxnard said at a news conference Thursday that priests raped him and countless other children across the world, and that abuse and a culture of secrecy are still rampant within the Catholic church.
Vega’s lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court in California seeks to have the Vatican ordered to release the names of all priests accused of abuse and to turn over the names of those found guilty to law enforcement. It doesn’t seek monetary damages.
Jeffrey Lena, the Vatican’s U.S. lawyer, declined to comment.
Vega reached a settlement with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2007, but his lawsuit says that doesn’t release the Vatican from responsibility. One of his lawyers has tried unsuccessfully to sue the government of the Catholic Church in U.S. courts before.
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10 a.m.
A California man who says he was sexually abused decades ago by a priest over a five-year period is suing the Vatican.
Although the lawsuit says the man reached a settlement with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2007, his attorneys said Thursday that doesn’t release the Vatican from responsibility.
The lawsuit filed Wednesday accuses the Vatican of placing the Rev. Fidencio Silva-Flores in a position of power at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in the southern California coastal city of Oxnard and says it should have known he posed a danger to children.
The lawsuit says Silva-Flores sexually abused the plaintiff between 1979 and 1984. Silva-Flores was charged with 25 counts of molestation in 2003 but they were dropped.
Jeffrey Lena, the Vatican’s U.S. lawyer, declined comment.
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