MAINE
Church Militant
by Joseph Pelletier • ChurchMilitant.com • August 16, 2016
Fr. James Vallely was allegedly protected by Portland’s bishop for years
PORTLAND (ChurchMilitant.com) – A settlement has finally been reached in the case of a decades-old hierarchical cover-up of abusive clergy.
In a deal reached August 15 between the diocese of Portland, Maine and a group of plaintiffs, the diocese agreed to pay out $1.2 million to six men who allege they were sexually abused by Fr. James Vallely throughout the 1950s and 1970s. According to documents obtained by the prosecution, the diocese and then-Bp. Daniel Feeney had been made aware of the abuse, but took no action regarding Fr. Vallely.
“There is no excuse for this immorality,” asserts Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who represents the plaintiffs and gained nationwide recognition for handling the homosexual priest abuse scandal in Boston in 2002. “Once again, you have purportedly the most moral institution in the world acting most immorally.”
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