New Lawsuits Filed Against Clergy in Missouri for Child Abuse Allegations

In a significant legal development, sixty individuals have filed lawsuits in Missouri alleging childhood sexual abuse by various clergy members, including Omaha Archbishop George Lucas. The lawsuits, which seek unspecified damages, were submitted this week in St. Louis and surrounding counties, highlighting a troubling pattern of abuse within the church. One lawsuit specifically accuses Lucas of abusing a 16-year-old boy at the now-defunct St. Louis Preparatory Seminary in the late 1980s, claiming he offered improved grades in exchange for sexual favors. Archbishop Lucas has publicly denied the allegations, asserting, “I categorically deny the accusation made by an anonymous person,” and emphasized that he has never engaged in sexual contact with anyone. He has referred the matter to the apostolic nuncio, the representative of Pope Francis in Washington, D.C., for further guidance. The accusations against Lucas and others have raised alarms among advocacy groups, particularly the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), which noted that at least ten of the alleged abusers are still alive and could pose a risk of reoffending. The lawsuits detail a history of abuse, with one case alleging that a priest and a nun sexually assaulted a girl with an intellectual disability over several years. The legal documents describe a “shameless cover-up” that allowed clergy and church employees to exploit vulnerable children for decades. The Archdiocese of St. Louis has not yet publicly responded to the allegations.