US survivors plan to sue Archdiocese of Dublin and pedophile treatment center over clerical abuse

Predator priest was moved around by Catholic Church as he continue to abuse children

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KATE HICKEY,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

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Patrick Joseph McCabe

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Read more: Pedophile priest in San Francisco denied bail before extradition to Ireland

Read more: Father McCabe’s Californian victims begin to come forward

Four survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of former priest Joseph Patrick McCabe have dropped their suit against Santa Rosa Diocese, California, and now plan to sue the Archdiocese of Dublin and the Catholic order, Servants of the Paraclete, that treated the priest for pedophilia in New Mexico.

The four men, who were all molested in the 1980s, plan to expand their target to include the "international conspiracy" from California, to Ireland and the rest of the Catholic Church. 

Attorney Jeff Anderson will travel to Ireland to speak to other victims and gather further evidence. He has said that much of the evidence for this case is located in Dublin.

Last Wednesday, Greg Horne (38), from Arcata, identified himself as one of these four men. Horne said that after he read of McCabe's arrest he realized that his ordeal was part of a larger pattern.

McCabe babysat for Horne while his mother was playing bingo. McCabe would fondle him and rub himself against the young boy.

Speaking at a press conference organized by his attorneys, Horne said, "He knew he had a solid amount of time every single Wednesday and he could just take his time ... It was almost like a game to him.”

Horne, who now works in law enforcement, has said that he is not interested in monetary compensation but simply wants to stop this kind of international cover-up from happening again.

He added "There's not enough money printed in the world to buy back what I had taken."

The lawyers working from Santa Rosa Diocese have said that there is no evidence of misconduct in McCabe's file and no evidence that Bishop Hurley was aware of his prior treatment. They also point out that the statue of limitations has expired. Claims of childhood sexual misconduct expire on a person's 26th birthday.

Attorney for Santa Rosa, Adrienne Moran, pointed out, "The Court of Appeals has said, ‘I don't care what label you put on it, it's a claim for childhood sexual abuse, which is covered by this particular statute of limitations and that statute has run out.'”

Jeff Anderson, an attorney who has joined the four men's team, said, "It really is an international conspiracy ... We have a well-documented evidentiary trail going back to Dublin. We also have international movement of a known offender by top officials from several entities.”

Joseph George, the four men's original attorney, said the case will be filed next month in Sonoma County Superior Court. Their legal action will allege negligence, fraud and conspiracy against leaders of the three organizations that helped transfer the predator priest from Ireland, to a treatment center in New Mexico and back to a role in the community in California.

The 2009 Ryan Report, an investigation into abuse within Church institutions, commissioned by the Irish Government, said that a Santa Rosa bishop, the late Mark Hurley, had accepted McCabe into the diocese with the knowledge that he had been treated for pedophilia by a Catholic facility.

From 1983 to 1985, McCabe served as a priest in St. Bernard Parish, Eureka. He was removed after a complaint that he had children sit on his knee during confession. He continued to serve in the community until 1988, when he was removed from the priesthood.

McCabe is now being held in Alameda County jail pending extradition for charges of molestation against six boys between 1973 and 1981.

Read more: Pedophile priest in San Francisco denied bail before extradition to Ireland

Read more: Father McCabe’s Californian victims begin to come forward

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