Five More Sex Abuse Cases Filed Against Diocese, 2 in Bolingbrook

Five new lawsuits alleging cases of sexual abuse by priests and a Catholic school principal were filed in Will County Circuit Court Wednesday.

Two of the suits stem from incidents that occurred in the 1970s and '80s at St. Dominic Catholic Church and St. Francis of Assisi, both located in Bolingbrook. 

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The other three cite abuse that occurred at St. Mary Nativity School and at the now-closed St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, both in Joliet., and at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Monee.

All of the priests named in the suit were removed from ministry between 1992 and 2012, according to the Chicago Tribune. Those priests are Myles White of St. Boniface, Michael Gibbney of St. Francis of Assisi, Frederick Lenczycki of St. Charles Borremeo Seminary and James Nowak of St. Dominic.

Diocese of Joliet officials knew about or suspected the abuse, "yet engaged in a pattern and practice of hiding what it knew, and covertly transferring pedophile priests around the diocese and out of state -- ultimately to protect its interests instead of the interests of the children entrusted to it," according to a statement released by Hurley, McKenna & Mertz, the Chicago law firm that filed the lawsuits.

In each of the cases, the victims had "repressed" the memories of the abuse, attorney Mark McKenna said Wednesday.

"The reason they are coming forward now is they can't believe (the widespread nature of the abuse)," McKenna said. "They all thought they were alone. ... They found ways to put it away and live their lives."

Information corroborating the lawsuits was found in the 7,000 pages of documents the diocese released in March as part of the settlement of an unreleated lawsuit handled by McKenna's firm, he said.

One suit filed Wednesday charges that Rev. Michael Gibbney, as supervisor of a religious retreat for altar boys at St. Francis of Assisi, sexually abused a 10- or 11-year-old boy in 1984. The boy is identified in the suit with the pseudonym John Doe. 

The retreat was held at the home of Gibbney's parents in Lombard and in Gibbney's camper, parked outside the Lombard home. 

Gibbney permitted the boys to consume alcohol. He also told them to sleep in his camper. Gibbney told Doe to sleep in the same bed as him. As Doe was lying on the bed, Gibbney laid down next to Doe, put his arms around him, and held Doe close to him. Gibbney began kissing him on the neck and ears and then put his hands into Doe’s pants. Gibbney began fondling Doe's genitals and continued for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Doe tried to leave saying that he had to use the restroom. As Doe climbed out of the bed, Gibbney kissed Doe near the mouth and pressed his erect penis against Doe’s body. Plaintiff remained in the bathroom for a period of time before returning to the bed. 

Gibbney took a voluntary leave of absence from ministry in 1992.

In a second suit, it's alleged that on multiple occasions, Rev. James Nowak sexually abused Bruce Keller between 1983 and 1985, when Keller was 12 to 14 years of age. 

Keller's family wanted him to spend additional time with Nowak to help Keller with trouble he was having in school and at home, according to the suit. 

As part of this mentoring program, Nowak accompanied Keller on trips Nowak arranaged. Nowak began taking Keller to a local health club in 1983. Nowak would shower with Keller, weigh Keller while Keller was naked, and sit in the sauna or jacuzzi with Keller while they were both naked. 

In 1985, Nowak arrived at Keller's home to speak to him as his mentor. Nowak went to Keller's room, told Keller he wanted to bless him and put his hands on Keller's stomach. Nowak then placed his hands inside Keller's underwear and fondled Keller's genitals. 

Nowak was removed from ministry in 2012. 

All of the lawsuits are attached to this story and can be read in their entirety.