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	Indy Archdiocese Offers Help to Abuse Victims By Kevin Koelling Perry County News [Indiana] Downloaded November 8, 2005 Police lieutenant wants to hear from them, too PERRY COUNTY - The Roman Catholic archdiocese named in four sexual-abuse lawsuits filed as of last week is offering to provide help to any victims of a former priest named as co-defendant in the civil-court actions. An officer in the Indianapolis Police Department would also like to hear from anyone who might have been abused by Harry Monroe, who served Perry County parishes in the early 1980s. Civil complaints filed by attorney Patrick Noaker in Indianapolis allege Monroe was moved from Indianapolis to Terre Haute, then here, after child-molestation complaints were lodged against him. Noaker said last week he intended to file a fifth civil lawsuit last Tuesday on behalf of a Tell City man who also claimed Monroe sexually abused him, but said Friday that filing was delayed. He intends to file that complaint Wednesday, and said another Tell City victim contacted him last week. The News attempted for its Oct. 31 story to contact Suzanne L. Yakimchick, identified as a victims' advocate with the Indianapolis Archdiocese, for comment Oct. 28, but offices there are closed Fridays. The organization is responsible for Catholic churches throughout central and southern Indiana. In response to a message left for Yakimchick, The News received a call from an archdiocese public-relations official Monday. She provided a prepared statement issued Oct. 25. "We have reached out to victims of sexual abuse, including those who have allegedly been abused by Harry Monroe, to offer pastoral care, which includes counseling," said the statement, attributed to Susan Borcherts, director of communications for the Catholic Communications Center. As The News reported last week, Monroe was accused in four lawsuits of molesting boys, and the archdiocese was accused of simply reassigning him to increasingly rural areas in response to abuse claims. Monroe served in Indianapolis and Terre Haute before being transferred to Perry County in 1982 to serve churches in Cannelton, Tell City and Troy. According to an Oct. 27 Associated Press report in the Louisville (Ky.)Courier-Journal, he was relieved of ministerial duties in 1984 because of sexual-misconduct allegations. "While we are unable to comment on cases in litigation, we want to say that children are a precious gift of life, and we are deeply troubled when we hear of their being physically or sexually abused by adults," Borcherts' statement continues. "We are especially hurt when we read or hear about allegations of sexual abuse of children by our own clergy, church employees or church volunteers. Our hearts and our prayers go out to the victims of such crimes." "We urge people to come forward to report misconduct so we can continue to reach out to the victims with pastoral care. As our policy states, if victims are younger than 18 when the sexual misconduct occurred, the archdiocese must report the incident(s) to civil authorities. Anyone who believes that he or she has been a victim - or who knows of anyone who has been a victim - of such misconduct should contact our assistance coordinator, Suzanne L. Yakimchick." Yakimchick may be contacted by calling (800) 382-9836, Ext. 7325 or (317) 236-7325, or by writing to Suzanne L. Yakimchick, Chancellor, Archdiocese of Indianapolis; P.O. Box 1410; Indianapolis IN 46206-1410. Noaker said Monroe was being investigated by the Indianapolis Police Department. Lt. Craig Converse, with that department's child-abuse unit, said Friday he looked into allegations against Monroe, but a statute of limitations expired on the accusations brought to his attention. "The victim cannot have reached their 31st birthday or the incident has to have occurred after 1988," he explained. He said he would like to hear from anyone who feels they were abused, whether or not incidents would fall within the statute of limitations. He can be contacted at (317) 327-6888. Noaker said the statute of limitations for civil actions is different. "It's two years from the date the victim turned 18, with some exceptions," he said. A permissible exception he's using is fraudulent concealment, which he said the church committed by moving Monroe from parish to parish, "representing him to be safe" to each new community he entered.
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