The family of a sexual-abuse victim, now deceased, has settled with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport for $200,000 in a case that involved allegations against a church gardener and a priest.
The victim, Michael Powel, died of cancer in October 2008 after an eight-year battle. His family – a wife and two adult children – continued his lawsuit against the diocese after his death.
Powel had claimed to be abused as a child in the 1970s by a gardener, and then later by a priest, at St. Theresa’s Church in Trumbull.
Michael Reck, the family’s lawyer, said, “It has been a long road, and it's really unfortunate Mike couldn't be here to see the end of it.”
Brian Wallace, the spokesman for the diocese, said that while the church believed that they were in the right “its just too expensive to continue to defend against this frivolous lawsuit brought by out-of-state lawyers who are practicing a pattern of trolling for lawsuits across the country.
The diocese remains committed to zero tolerance to abuse and a safe environment.”
Five years ago Powel was awarded $10 million in his lawsuit against church gardener Carlo Fabbozzi – but he never saw a dime of it.
Powel alleged that the former janitor/gardener employed by St. Theresa’s Church sexually abused him from the late 60’s and into the early 70s.
Then, after Fabbozzi, Reverend Joseph Gorecki abused Powel in 1971.
Powel’s abuse wasn’t limited to St. Theresa’s church. Powel alleged that he was also abused by a former Boy Scout troop leader in Easton and by two teachers – also clergymen – at a college preparatory school he attended in Missouri.
Powel grew up in Bridgeport and later moved to Florida.
Powel reported the abuse by Fabbozzi to Bishop William Lori in 2002. He also reported it to other officials in the diocese.
He said that Fabbozzi molested him in a shed on church grounds several times.
The Diocesan has maintained that Fabbozzi was not a diocesan employee.
Monsignor Laurence Bronkiewicz testified in Superior Court that during an interview with Fabbozzi he admitted to abusing Powel. This occurred just after Powel publicized his allegations.
When another person came forward and made abuse allegations against Fabbozzi, Bronkiewicz said that he told the pastor of St. Theresa’s Church to fire him.
Bronkiewicz is a former diocesan chancellor.
Powel had been very vocal in his criticism of the diocese’s handling of sexual abuse allegations.
Bishop Lori publicly castigated Powel in a letter to parishioners that read, “Mr. Powel's ‘Lawn Man Liability Theory’ goes where no other liability claims against Catholic institutions have gone before.
Imagine if you were held responsible for what your lawn man, plumber, or electrician may have done over 40 years ago! This is what the diocese is now fighting.”
The outreach director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, Barbara Dorris, said in response, “Over and over, Catholic officials vilified Michael. Now, for the second time, he has been vindicated. We hope that Bishop Lori has the decency to publicly apologize to Michael's family for his callous actions. We also hope that Monsignor Laurence Bronkiewicz, who kept silent about a parish employee's admission of child sex abuse, does the same.”
If a church employee or priest has abused you, contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as you can to file a lawsuit. You should be able to obtain monetary compensation for your pain and suffering.