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  Archdiocese Target of the Latest Sex Abuse Trial Involving the Church
At Least Three People Are Accusing a Seminary Student of Sexual Abuse

ABC13 Eyewitness News [Houston]
February 18, 2005

Allegations of past sexual abuse are coming back to haunt the Galveston-Houston archdiocese.

Pablo Lopez claims he was sexually assaulted by a Houston seminary student eight years ago when he was a 15-year-old altar boy at Saint Francis de Sales church in Sharpstown

Lopez filed a lawsuit accusing the archbishop of covering up the crime by helping the seminary student flee the country.

"You put your trust in somebody because this person was represented by the church and the church is supposed to be good," said Lopez.

Two other men have stepped forward to accuse the same seminary student of sex abuse. They've filed a lawsuit, claiming Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza helped their abuser leave the country.

"The moment we received word about this, it was turned over to CPS, which is precisely what needs to be done in these situations and that's exactly what the bishop did, what the diocese did," said Attorney Bob Schick with the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Friday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will unveil the results of an audit of dioceses around the country and their sex abuse prevention plans.

 
 

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