SELLERSBURG (IN)
WAVE [Indianapolis, IN]
August 24, 2026
By Mark Stevens
Lawsuit says pastor did nothing after woman tried to report incident
A former priest at St. John Paul II Catholic Church in Sellersburg is accused of sexually assaulting one of his adult parishioners, according to a lawsuit. The woman said she went to the church for help, and her complaint went nowhere.
The lawsuit accuses the former priest, identified as Rev. Ronald Mervil, of sexual assault. It also accuses the current head pastor of doing nothing after the woman tried to report what happened.
Before mass Sunday, a deacon read a statement to the congregation.
“The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is aware of a complaint filed on June 10, 2026, in Marion County Superior Court involving Father Ronald Mervil,” part of the statement said.
A parishioner identified as “Jane Doe” said she met Mervil after joining the church following her move to the area seeking asylum. She was looking for work, and Mervil offered to help.
In August 2024, he invited her to Indianapolis to attend a job fair with him at another church. Her lawsuit says when the job fair ended, he took her to a family member’s home in Greenwood, where Mervil demanded she hug him and attempted to kiss her. She refused but still had to ride home with him.
Her suit says Mervil stopped in a Wendy’s parking lot on the way home, groped her and forced her to perform oral sex. She froze. As other cars began arriving, the suit says Mervil drove through a surrounding neighborhood looking for another place to park to continue the assault. He could not find one, and they drove back.
The suit says Mervil threatened her to keep quiet, saying he could close her asylum case. It alleges he texted her afterward demanding pictures of her.
Her suit says he went to her job at a grocery store September 2024, asked for help with vegetables and asked whether she remembered what his genitals looked like compared to the vegetable.
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis sent WAVE a statement, which was also read aloud in church Sunday.
“The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is aware of the complaint filed June 10, 2026 in Marion County superior court involving Father Ronald Mervil. A Haitian priest, serving in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Upon learning of the allegation, the Archdiocese immediately removed the priest from ministry and reported the allegation to the civil authorities with whom we are cooperating fully. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is committed to protecting vulnerable children and adults and these kinds of allegations are taken very seriously.”
Doe’s suit says she tried to report Mervil to his boss, Rev. Thomas Clegg. Her suit says Clegg never met with her, did no investigation and did nothing to protect her.
Mervil’s attorney, Larry Wilder, provided a statement on his client’s behalf:
“Pastor Ronald Mervil is aware of the allegations contained in the recently filed civil lawsuit. These allegations are serious, and Pastor Mervil intends to vigorously defend his position through the appropriate legal process. A complaint contains allegations, not established facts, and Pastor Mervil is entitled to a full and fair opportunity to respond to those claims in court. Because this matter is now in litigation, we will address the allegations through the judicial process rather than through the media,” Wilder said.
A trial has not yet been set.
See original article for lawsuit document.