Under the terms of a settlement related to a sexual abuse lawsuit, the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago has agreed to pay $3.2 million to a young man who was sexually abused by a former priest at a well known church in the city.  In 2007, the young man filed the civil lawsuit against admitted child molester Daniel McCormack, the Archdiocese and Cardinal Frances George for their respective roles in the sexual abuse of the boy over a period of several years.

In addition to this lawsuit, similar cases have been filed against defrocked priest McCormack and the Chicago Archdiocese by young men who were abused during McCormack's tenure at St. Agatha Parish and Our Lady of the Westside School.  The crux of these lawsuits is that the church failed to end the cycle of abusive conduct once allegations of the conduct had been brought to the church's attention.

According to news reports in the Chicago Sun Times, the resolution of this case is the fifth and final civil claim bought by a young man also involved in the ancillary criminal matters involving McCormack.

Even with the sizable settlement, I am sure that this young person faces a lifetime of recovery from both the event itself as well as the obvious trauma he has experienced during the course of this litigation.  Similar to a person who has sustained a serious physical injury, the young men involved in this incident will likely need counseling for the extended future.

As a lawyer who has represented victims of sexual abuse, I hope the publicity that has accompanied both the Chicago Archdiocese sexual abuse as well as similar sexual abuse claims involving boys at Penn State brings more attention to this type of abuse.  Tragically, most episodes of sexual abuse that occurs behind the doors of institutions never gets prosecuted and many victims suffer a lifetime of emotional torment without receiving the care that they greatly need and deserve.

Related Child Injury Laws materials:

Vatican Named In Recently Filed Lawsuit Involving Childhood Sexual Abuse In Chicago Church

New Sex Abuse Lawsuit Alleges Church Failed To Act After Learning Of Priest's Deviant Past

Parish Held Responsible In Lawsuit Involving Sexual Abuse By Priest

Despite The Recent Publicity, Children Continue To Remain Susceptible To Abuse From Clergy