PORTLAND (ME)
WCSH - NBC News Center Maine [Portland ME]
August 20, 2026
By Vivien Leigh
Survivors of alleged child abuse by Catholic priests in Maine settle with the Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland, but want more accountability.
Survivors who say they were abused by different Catholic priests in Maine as children are speaking out following a settlement with the Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland.
A childhood sexual abuse survivor and the wife of another survivor gathered in Portland Thursday to share several stories of sexual assault at the hands of Catholic priests across Maine.
It’s a major milestone for survivors, who could have gone to court but wanted closure and healing. Survivor Keith Amato struggled to hold back tears as he talked about painful memories he had buried until his 30s.
“It hits you when you remember, and that’s really overwhelming,” Amato said as he wiped away tears.
Amato said he was 6 years old when a priest at St. Bruno Parish in Van Buren sexually abused him. The priest, who was not identified or charged, also taught at his elementary school. The abuse left him with injuries that required stomach surgery. Later, Amato faced addiction and homelessness, but after getting sober, he chose to speak out.
“Those wounds were caused when that child’s power, control, and autonomy were violated by those we are supposed to trust the most,” Timothy Kenlan, an attorney with Berman-Simmons, said.
Kenlan and attorney Kristin Murray-James represent seven survivors of childhood sexual abuse who settled with the Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland.
Altogether, 42 survivors are part of the settlement, but the financial terms and other obligations by the Portland diocese are not being disclosed. Maine removed the statute of limitations for civil child sexual abuse claims. However, Keith and the other six survivors were not affected by a January 2025 Maine Supreme Judicial Court decision blocking retroactive reopening of older claims, so they could have taken their case to court.
“I felt the right thing to do was to settle, because for me it’s not about the money; it never was. I want someone to say sorry, and I haven’t really gotten that,” Amato explained.
Murray-James read a statement from the wife of Timothy Guidry, one of the survivors involved in the settlement.
“I demand justice and accountability for the cowards who abuse innocent children, and the institutions who protect their reputation over kids,” Murray-James said.
In a statement released earlier this month, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland, James Ruggieri, said the payments are meant to acknowledge, in a real way and within the church’s resources and obligations, the seriousness of what was reported and the lasting impact of abuse. However, attorneys say the statement does not go far enough, noting that Archbishops in other states have apologized to survivors.
“Bishop Ruggieri does not apologize or accept institutional responsibility for clergy sexual abuse,” Murray-James said.
Amato now hopes to become an advocate for boys and men facing similar trauma, so they can find a better path to healing.