Parishioner claims priest who 'sexually assaulted' her was fired only for breaking his vows - and when she complained to the church was told 'what man wouldn't want a piece of a** every now and then?'

By Hannah Parry
Daily Mail (UK)
May 17, 2017

https://goo.gl/vWUjNp

Dorothy Small filed a lawsuit against Rev. Renerio Sabuga Jr., (pictured together) claiming he sexually assaulted her

She is also suing the diocese over claims officials at Woodland's Holy Rosary Catholic Church, California, (pictured) handled her complaint poorly

A female churchgoer claims she was sexually assaulted by a former parish priest - and when she complained to the church was told 'what man wouldn't want a piece of a** every now and then?'

Dorothy Small, filed a lawsuit against Rev. Renerio Sabuga Jr., the Sacramento Catholic Diocese, and Holy Rosary priest Jonathan Molina, on Monday over the alleged assault and the church's handling of it, the Sacramento Bee reports.

Her suit describes how Sabuga - known as Father Jong - became a close confidante after he joined Woodland's Holy Rosary Catholic Church, California, in April 2014.

The 62-year-old said the priest began by inviting her along for bicycle rides and for dinner, but the relationship changed and he began pursuing her romantically, according to her lawsuit.

The situation escalated until February  17, 2015, when she claims the priest 'cornered (Small) in her bedroom and sexually assaulted' her. 

Her lawsuit, filed Monday in Sacramento Superior Court, also alleges that her complaints were then routinely ignored by church officials.

When she told another priest about the alleged sexual assault, her lawsuit alleges that he responded: 'What man wouldn't want a piece of a** every now and then?'

Sabuga, 46, has since been fired from the church and returned to his native Philippines.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento argues that it took Small’s concerns 'seriously and directly addressed' them, and points to the fact that Sabuga was suspended and later sacked over his 'inappropriate relationship' with Small.

However, the Diocese only ever refers to Sabuga being disciplined for breaking vows by engaging in a relationship with a woman, and not the alleged sexual assault. 

Kevin Eckery, of the Diocese, said they offered the parishioner 30 sessions of counseling and they made a public announcement at Woodland's and another parish where Sabuga served, asking for anyone else who had complaints about the priest to come forward. The church received no further reports of inappropriate behavior.

'In 2014, Fr. Jong received a written warning and was briefly suspended for what we understood to be an inappropriate relationship with an adult woman,' Eckery wrote. 'In 2016, we received information that the relationship in question had resumed. As a result... Jong was terminated, his visa was revoked and he returned to his native diocese in the Philippines.'

Molina, who is accused in the lawsuit of not reporting Small's concerns to the Sacramento diocese, did not respond to a telephone message at the Woodland church.

But Small argues in her lawsuit that church officials did little to intervene in Sabuga's 'continuous sexual harassment' aside from the week-long suspension and the warning to stay away from her house. 

She even once called police in 2014 after becoming alarmed that the priest had invited himself over to her house and was worried 'due to past sexual advances,' according to an incident report.

But the 62-year-old claimed that Sabuga had not seemed worried about his behavior, even after the suspension, joking about the so-called '11th commandment' at the church: 'Thou shalt not get caught.'

Small admits she was attracted to the priest, exchanging frequent texts with him and even once kissing him, but says she always told Sabuga they couldn't have a relationship.

She also claims he used his position as her 'secular counselor' to groom her as a potential sexual partner.

Small did not report the alleged February 2015 sexual assault to police, but raised the issue with church officials. 

Sabuga, who ordained in 2000 in the Archdiocese of Cayagan de Oro in the Philippines, was transferred from Woodland's to another local church, St. Clare Catholic Church in Roseville in July 2016.

Small said at that point she reported her concerns to the diocese because she feared he could target women at that church.

Sabuga, who was fired a month later, is currently listed as a parish priest in the Philippines.

He could not be reached for comment.

Small filed the suit after she claims the church stopped her from singing in the church choir and cut off her counseling sessions. 

She claims Molina refused to allow her to lead the choir, asking her if Sabuga could come back when she asked about returning, after a short break. 

The suit asks the diocese to continue to fund her counseling sessions.