Diocese pays settlement; retired bishop denies sex abuse

Published: 2005-01-21

DAVENPORT, Iowa (CNS) -- The Davenport Diocese paid a $20,000 settlement in a child sex abuse case against a retired bishop who maintains his innocence. The abuse accusations were made against retired Bishop Lawrence D. Soens of Sioux City, 78, and allegedly took place during the 1960s when the bishop was a priest in the Davenport Diocese, said Davenport Bishop William E. Franklin in a Jan. 18 report to his diocese on the child sex abuse situation. Bishops Franklin and Soens said that church authorities are still studying the allegations. Under church norms clergy sex abuse cases are forwarded to the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for review and only the Vatican can decide disciplinary action against a bishop. "Bishop Soens has denied the allegations of abuse made against him," said his lawyer, Timothy Bottaro, in a written statement. "The matter is now with church authorities and the bishop can make no further comment." Bishop Franklin said that the initial allegations were made before Feb. 25, 2004, and that since then two new allegations, also dating to the 1960s, have been made.

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