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	Lawsuit Claims Priest Impregnated Woman By Terry Hillig St. Louis Post-Dispatch April 6, 2008 http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/C724C6C958CCDC2086257423000B9D53?OpenDocument EDWARDSVILLE — An Edwardsville woman and her husband have sued a Roman Catholic priest and the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, claiming the priest impregnated the woman during nonconsensual sex in 2006, and later encouraged her to have an abortion. The suit alleges that the priest, the Rev. Thomas R. Szydlik, began pursuing an inappropriate relationship with the woman after he heard her confession at a church in Peoria in November 2004. The suit alleges that Szydlik moved to Edwardsville and continued to pursue a relationship with the woman in 2006 after the couple had moved to Madison County. Szydlik and diocesan officials could not be reached for comment. Each count of the 23-count suit, which was filed last week in Madison County Circuit Court, seeks damages of at least $50,000. The couple belonged to St. Vincent de Paul Church in Peoria, where Szydlik was assistant pastor from June 2004 through June 2005. He has since served several other parishes in the diocese. Contact: THillig@post-dispatch.com
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