An American man who claimed he was sexually abused by a priest nearly 50 years ago has withdrawn his appeal of a ruling that said the Vatican did not employ the priest and is not liable for damages.
Lawyer Jeff Anderson named the Vatican as one of the defendants in the 2002 lawsuit he filed on behalf of the man identified as John Doe.
The Associated Press quoted Anderson saying that his client still believes “all roads lead to Rome” but has grown weary of the long legal odyssey.
“This survivor decided that we should pursue this effort, but through other means and not his case,” said Anderson.
Jeffrey Lena, the Vatican’s lawyer, however, described the case as “way over the top” and should have never been filed.
AP reported that neither side disputes that Andrew Ronan, a priest of the Friar Servants and Mary order, abused children in Ireland and Chicago before he was transferred to Portland.
John Doe was 15 when he was allegedly molested in 1965.
Ronan left the priesthood in 1966, shortly after the Portland archdiocese began a proceeding against him. The Vatican approved the departure, returning him to lay status. Ronan died in 1992.
Sources
Image: Getty/USA Today
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