CALIFORNIA
The Monterey County Herald
Herald Staff Report
Posted: 05/23/2013
The Irish Christian Brothers have agreed to pay $16.5 million to settle claims by more than 400 people who say they were physically and sexually abused by the order’s brothers or others at schools operated by the Christian Brothers.
Among those alleged victims are five former Palma High School students who allege they were sexually assaulted by The Rev. Gerald Funcheon when he was a chaplain at the school from 1984 to 1985.
Funcheon admitted in sworn testimony he molested one of the men.
The settlement, which is expected to be finalized in coming weeks, is part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy the religious order filed in April 2011 in response to a tidal wave of sexual abuse lawsuits.
Palma High is not identified as one of the assets that will be used to pay the settlement. Though the school has historically been affiliated with the Irish Christian Brothers, the school’s president, Brother Patrick Dunne, has said it is a separate corporate entity.
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