NASHVILLE (TN)
Nashville Banner [Nashville, TN]
November 10, 2026
By Mikeie Honda Reiland
Judge Waverly Crenshaw heard opening arguments for case originating in Baltimore
On Tuesday morning, after the plaintiffs’ attorneys examined their first witness — Father John Hammond of the Diocese of Nashville — a case involving sex abuse in the Catholic Church in the 1960s settled for an undisclosed amount. The case dealt with the Diocese’s culpability for the actions of Father Water Emala, who worked in the Diocese of Nashville before moving on to Baltimore, where he allegedly abused nine-year-old altar boy Greg Valancius. Valancius alleged that the Diocese of Nashville knew about Emala’s history of sexual abuse and allowed it to continue. During Hammond’s examination, Valancius’ attorneys showed the jury a document in which the chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore asked the Diocese of Nashville if they had “anything in the secret archives pertaining to [Emala].” “We are proud that Mr. Valancius finally got his day in court against the Diocese of Nashville decades after Father Emala’s abuse robbed him of his childhood,” said John Spragens, attorney for Valancius. “And we are pleased to reach a resolution of the case that allows Mr. Valancius to move on with his life without the burden and risk of continued litigation against the Diocese.” — Mikeie Honda Reiland
Original story: On Monday afternoon, a case in which a priest who once worked in the Catholic Diocese of Nashville allegedly sexually abused a nine-year-old altar boy in the 1960s finally reached a federal courtroom.
The defense argued that since the abuse happened in Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Baltimore — which declared bankruptcy in 2023 — should be held responsible. The plaintiffs said the Diocese of Nashville knew about the priest’s history of sexual abuse, continued to give him local assignments for eight years, then let him continue to harm kids in Maryland.
This case, said plaintiff’s attorney Andrew Janet during his opening statement, revolves around two key questions: “What did the Diocese know? And when did they know it?”
Using a series of letters that he said were discovered as part of a 2023 Attorney General of Maryland investigation, Janet showed that the Diocese placed Father Walter Emala on “sick leave” in 1959. Janet said that “sickness” in the letter was a euphemism, and doctors warned the Diocese about Emala.
According to the original complaint, a 1959 letter to Emala from Nashville Bishop William Adrien read, in part: “As things stand now, we cannot entrust you with another pastorate in the diocese unless you radically change…also, your episode with that boy you were keeping around there was a scandal to many of your people.”
According to Janet, the Diocese continued to give Emala postings for eight years after this letter and his sick leave. He cited a 1967 letter stating that Emala “tries to handle [boys] in a sexual way,” that he should be laicized — or removed from the priesthood — and that he could be given a leave of absence to go to Baltimore, but that his future employers should be told of the accusations.
Instead of telling Baltimore, Janet said, the Diocese should’ve “called the police. He shouldn’t be in Baltimore. He should be in jail.”
In May 1968, the Diocese gave Emala a three-year leave of absence, which Janet said was framed as sick leave. He still had all his faculties, or legal permissions and authorizations within the church.
A few months later, Emala was working at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Middle River, Maryland. Greg Valancius, nine years old at the time, was an altar boy. Emala asked Valancius to spend the night so they could start early the next morning with door-to-door envelope collection. Valancius’ parents agreed.
“Everyone trusts priests at this time,” Janet said.
Later that night, while Valancius tried to sleep, Emala allegedly entered his room naked. Valancius alleges that Emala got into bed, held him tightly, and thrashed against him, still naked, rubbing his penis against him. Valancius recalled this happening twice during the night. Later, Valancius recalled other incidents at the church.
Valancius didn’t tell his parents but did eventually ask to stop being an altar boy. He didn’t tell anyone for 55 years, until the documents came out in 2023.
“I think it’s pretty straightforward,” Janet told the jury. He said the plaintiffs will call a forensic psychologist to testify to the PTSD that the abuse caused Valancius. Janet said the Diocese chose to value the church and its priests over the lives of kids.
During his opening statement for the defense, Matthew Pietsch argued that what the Diocese knew and when they knew it aren’t the only key questions that will decide this trial.
“The question is whether or not the plaintiff can prove with evidence presented in this courtroom nearly 60 years later that the Diocese of Nashville is responsible,” said Pietsch.
Pietsch pointed out that the abuse didn’t happen in Nashville, or even in Tennessee. He said that Valancius still has active court proceedings to hold the now-bankrupt Archdiocese of Baltimore responsible. Valancius’ original complaint reads, “The Archdiocese of Baltimore declared bankruptcy on September 29, 2023, and, as a result, may not be sued in tort or joined in this litigation.”
Pietsch said that Valancius has known about what he experienced his whole life. It was not repressed, said Pietsch, and Valancius did not come forward. Pietsch also pointed out that Emala died in 2008, as did everyone involved in the case except for Valancius, now silver-haired. No one can come forward to testify except for Valancius.
Pietsch told the jury not to decide the case “based on sympathy.” There’s “nothing wrong with sympathy,” he said. “I’m going to ask you to do something hard,” he continued. He asked the jury to listen to the law, especially to the law related to the statute of limitations.
Janet said the Diocese of Nashville had a duty regarding Emala. “Stop vouching for him,” he said. “Better yet, warn others. Report him to the police.”
Until Valancius’ mid-40s, Janet said, he was haunted by a recurring nightmare. Each night, he dreamed a boa constrictor was squeezing him as it wrapped around him. Throughout his life, Janet said, Valancius has struggled with self-esteem issues. He’s never married and has tended to push people away.
“That boy is still in this man,” said Janet, “waiting in the dark for someone to come hurt him.”
Mikeie Honda Reiland is courts reporter for the Banner. A Nashville native, he’s written magazine features for the Oxford American, Bitter Southerner, SB Nation and Gravy, among other publications. He received a James Beard Media Award nomination for a 2023 story and has a master’s degree in narrative nonfiction from the University of Georgia.