Third lawsuit this month accuses ex-priest in Las Cruces of abusing altar boy

LAS CRUCES (NM)
Las Cruces Sun-News

November 29, 2018

By Diana M Alba-Soular

The Catholic Church is facing another lawsuit, this time over a priest allegedly sexually abusing a boy in Las Cruces in the 1960s.

The lawsuit accuses a different, now-deceased priest — Father Arnold Finochietto, who served at Our Lady of Health Parish in central Las Cruces — of sexually abusing the victim, identified in court records as John Doe “89.” It’s the third lawsuit filed this month in connection to alleged abuse of children by priests historically in Las Cruces.

Finochietto served as manager of the parish, which then was organized under the Catholic Diocese of El Paso.

John Doe “89” alleges Fionchietto sexually abused him, from age 6 to 10, on a near daily basis while he served as an altar boy for Our Lady of Health, according to court records.

MORE: New lawsuits accuse ex-priest of sexually abusing children in Las Cruces

The civil complaint, filed Nov. 16 in 3rd Judicial District Court in Las Cruces, alleges Fionchietto asked for John Doe “89” to be removed from Catechism classes during the school day and taken to the priest’s home at the rectory. Other people at the parish took the boy to the rectory ”

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