Monterey Diocese named in statewide lawsuit alleging child sex abuse cover up
The Catholic church already in the spotlight for being accused of covering up the sexual abuse of children now faces more allegations on the Central Coast.
A lawsuit announced Tuesday, names every single bishop in California including the Diocese of Monterey.
The allegations in the lawsuit go back decades and includes multiple priests with stops in Salinas, Watsonville, and the Monterey Diocese. The purpose of this lawsuit is to force the Dioceses’ like Monterey’s, to release names and every abuse they know about.
“Today is the day where I not only tell the story about what happened to me but I empower every other victim out there who has neither the courage or is not around at all to tell their story,” said alleged abuse victim, and plaintiff, Thomas Emans
In a wide-ranging press conference in Los Angeles Tuesday, the announcement of a lawsuit naming every single bishop in California including Monterey’s Richard Garcia, who passed away this year, is being sued for allegedly covering up child sex abuse dating back decades.
“Find justice not just for myself but to bring all of the victims in the shadows out, and help them moving forward,” said Emens.
The more than 300 members of the church identified Tuesday are only those coming from the Los Angeles archdiocese. KION spoke with attorney Mike Reck who said they have not received this information from Monterey.
“This lawsuit that names each of these dioceses, including Monterey, seeks to end that practice of secrecy and seeks to force the disclose of the information that they have held secret about the sexual abuse of children for so long,” said Mike Reck, attorney with Jeff Anderson and Associates.
But there are plenty of people named in the suit with ties to the Central Coast.
Father Lynn Caffoe accused of abusing boys at every stop on his record, which the report said includes Salinas from 2001 to 2003.
Father Larry Lorenzoni, accused of sexually abusing a student in Watsonville in 1960.
Brother Frank Dalton’s accusations pre-date his time at Palma School in Salinas, in the 60s and late 80s to 90s.
Palma already suffering scandal after father Gerald Funcheon had been charged with sexually assaulting students between 1984 and 1985.
***UPDATE (10/3/18): A Palma School spokesperson tells KION that he is not aware of anyone knowing about the previous accusations against Dalton, while he was there. And that Dalton, while he was there, was well respected at the school.***
In a statement, the Monterey diocese called accusations it concealed abuse, “absurd,” and that “they also significantly predate the diocese of Monterey’s safe environment program and all of the safeguards that are contained in our policies.”
The priest who most recently worked in the Monterey diocese, Monsignor Charles Fatooh was also charged with abusing a student in Canoga Park.
Fatooh worked in Monterey from 1990 through 2003 and then at St Francis Xavier Church in Seaside until 2005.
Fatooh was also accused of not informing police about a boy who was abused by a Salinas priest.
We reached out to the church to ask about Monsignor Fatooh, they said their spokesperson was not in and they cannot comment, today. Palma school also hasn’t return our call for comment.
Full statement from the Diocese of Monterey:
“This appears to be a matter between the Archdioceses of Chicago and Los Angeles. The allegation that the California Bishops are in a conspiracy to conceal child abuse is simply absurd. The allegations outlined in the complaint involve matters that occurred forty years ago and well before the promulgation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in 2002. They also significantly predate the Diocese of Monterey’s Safe Environment Program and all of the safeguards that are contained in our policies. As we have previously reported, the Diocese of Monterey has in place strong policies and procedures to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults under our care.”
