Former Catholic priest named in Springfield lawsuit

SPRINGFIELD — The Diocese of Springfield is facing a new lawsuit alleging that a former priest sexually abused an altar boy at St. Mary’s Catholic School and Parish in Taylorville.

The suit, filed in Sangamon County Circuit Court names Father John O’Connell and says the abuse happened repeatedly between 1991 and 1994.

According to the complaint, the victim attended the school and served as an altar boy at the time of the alleged abuse. Attorneys say the incidents occurred on church grounds, including during altar boy training and preparation for Mass.

The lawsuit also alleges the diocese did not publicly identify O’Connell as a priest facing child sex abuse allegations and failed to put safeguards in place to protect children.

The filing claims church officials allowed clergy to be alone with children without supervision, did not report misconduct to authorities and did not take enough action to prevent further abuse. Attorney Georgia Booth of the firm by Gould Grieco & Hensley PLLC said the case centers on a breach of trust.

“Parents place an extraordinary amount of trust in their church and religious leaders,” Booth said. “Here, that trust was violated in the most devastating way possible.”

The complaint seeks to hold the archdiocese accountable for what it alleges was a failure to protect a child in its care and to prevent similar harm to others.

O’Connell died in 2002 at age 68.

The Diocese of Springfield said it does not comment on pending litigation.

HLNF Staff Report

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