BishopAccountability.org
 
 

Man Files Lawsuit against Stockton Diocese Accusing Late Priest of Sexual Abuse

Recordnet.com
December 5, 2019

https://www.recordnet.com/news/20191205/man-files-lawsuit-against-stockton-diocese-accusing-late-priest-of-sexual-abuse

A civil lawsuit has been filed against the Diocese of Stockton and the Franciscan Order on behalf of an unidentified Northern California man who claims to have been sexually molested decades ago by a priest who once worked for the diocese.

The suit filed Wednesday in San Joaquin County Superior Court by attorney Joseph C. George of Sacramento claims that in 1979, the Rev. Ferdinand Villalobos sexually molested the then-16-year-old plaintiff at his residence while he was at St. Mary of the Assumption Church in downtown Stockton and at a church retreat in San Juan Bautista.

Villalobos was at St. Mary’s Church from 1979-80 and was the Episcopal Vicar for Hispanics for the Diocese of Stockton from 1980-85. Villalobos died in 1985.

The Diocese of Stockton reserved comment until it collects more information.

Villalobos was named on two Catholic Church credibly accused abusive clerics lists: one published by the Stockton diocese in 2014 and another by the Santa Barbara Province Franciscans in May 2019.

In 2003, a man who said he was molested by Villalobos between 1980 and 1983 when he was 12 to 15 years old sued the diocese and its former leader, now-retired Cardinal Roger Mahony. The suit claimed Mahony and others in the Stockton diocese engaged in a pattern of conspiracy to cover up the sexual abuse of children by clergy, violating federal anti-racketeering laws.

 

 

 

 

 




.

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.