New priest named in latest clergy sex abuse lawsuit

By Krystal Paco
KUAM
April 24, 2018

http://www.kuam.com/story/38025049/2018/04/Tuesday/new-priest-named-in-latest-clergy-sex-abuse-lawsuit

A former Santa Rita altar boy was told he'd be blessed. The abuse starting when he was only eight years old. Instead, he was sexually abused and molested by his parish priest, on a weekly, for a two-year period.

This is the first time Capuchin priest Father Daniel Cristobal has been accused. Cristobal died in 2010 at 79 years old.

Only identified by his initials to protect his privacy, 46-year-old C.A. says the priest unzipped the boy's pants, did the sign of the cross, and kissed his penis before masturbating and performing oral sex on him. When he was done, he said "You are blessed" and proceeded to tell C.A. he was his favorite altar boy.

Though the boy would avoid being alone with Father Cristobal, the priest managed to grope him daily in the sacristy, even in front of other altar boys. In one incident, the priest told him to come to the rectory and lock the door behind him. That's where C.A. was shown a pornographic magazine. He was then given instructions on how to masturbate and again, molested by the priest.

When this was over, the priest gave him money, telling him to stop by the store to buy something because C.A. "deserved it."

C.A. is suing not just the church, but also the Capuchin Franciscans and the Capuchin Franciscans Province of St. Mary. The $5 million lawsuit was filed by Attorney David Lujan late Tuesday afternoon.