Florida, New York dioceses reach settlement in sex abuse case

Published: 2004-12-07

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CNS) -- A Catholic diocese in Florida and one in New York have reached an out-of-court settlement with an unnamed man who said he was sexually abused as a minor in 1991 and 1992 by Father Matthew Fitzgerald, who is no longer in ministry. The alleged incidents took place in the Diocese of Palm Beach, Fla., where Father Fitzgerald was serving since transferring there in 1989 from the Diocese of Rockville Centre, N.Y. The Rockville Centre Diocese was involved because it was accused of not informing Palm Beach church officials that child abuse complaints had been made against the priest. Both dioceses announced the settlement Dec. 3 but neither released the sum involved nor how the dioceses were dividing up the payment. Andrew Pelino, attorney for the accuser, was quoted in Florida newspapers as saying that the settlement topped $100,000 but that his client did not want the exact sum released.

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