ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Men who claim church officials ignored reports of horrific abuse at the Mount Cashel orphanage in Newfoundland are expected back in court Wednesday.

Their civil lawsuit will return to provincial Supreme Court as they argue the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John's should compensate them for incidents dating back to the 1940s.

Their lawyers will make closing arguments that church officials knew or ought to have known what was happening.

Representative plaintiffs for about 60 claimants can't be named under a court order, but they have alleged sexual and physical abuse.

About 20 more men represented by other firms could be affected by a decision expected sometime next year. 

The civil lawsuit seeks damages that will be outlined Wednesday, arguing the church corporation was responsible for the actions of the Christian Brothers who ran Mount Cashel.