Diocese of Rockville Centre Accused Priests

In recent years, hundreds of thousands of survivors alleged sex abuse against priests and clergy people in the Roman Catholic Church, bringing awareness to their suffering and the systemic issues within these institutions. The devastating truth is that their recounts aren’t even the total of the many people who have experienced sexual abuse at the hands of church leaders within the Roman Catholic Church, with many who have still not come forward.

In New York, the Diocese of Rockville Centre faced more than 200 claims of child sex abuse in civil court after the Child Victims Act passed in 2019 and later extended the statute of limitations so that victims could continue to come forward. Child sexual abuse survivors now have until 5 p.m. on August 14, 2021, to file their claims.

Outcomes may look a little different, though, now that the Diocese of Rockville Centre filed for bankruptcy. At the time of its filing, it was the largest diocese in the country to file for bankruptcy after the Child Victims Act welcomed a surge of sexual abuse claims against its church leaders. The bishop for the diocese says that the lawsuits coupled with the pandemic prevented it from financially meeting its obligations to survivors.

Now, the bankruptcy court will be able to analyze the church’s assets, including insurance coverage. The bishop says it might be more fair and beneficial to gain resolution for child sex abuse claims through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy rather than with each individual survivor seeking recompense one at a time.

In a bankruptcy court filing on April 15, 2021, the diocese listed 101 credibly accused perpetrators of sexual abuse from its leadership ranks, including priests and deacons. A group of survivors and their attorneys published another list of 46 clergy members they allege the diocese should have added to their disclosure. Before the diocese filed for bankruptcy, child sex abuse survivors filed 223 lawsuits against the religious institution.

One of the priests on the list created by the survivors and their attorneys included Father Alfred Soave, who pastored a church in Huntington Station. One of his victims says that Soave was considered a family friend who would even dine at their dinner table. Incidents such as this one are extremely common in sex abuse cases within the church, as families often seek to trust other members of the church, especially its leaders.

Soave would allegedly sexually abuse the victim, who was 14 at the time, at the beach, in the church, in the home, and anywhere else where there was an opportunity for him to harm the boy. Before the list’s release, the Diocese of Rockville Centre was the only diocese in New York that had yet to provide such a list. The US Bankruptcy Court judge ordered the diocese to create and release the list in an effort to reach survivors.

The financial weight of hundreds of lawsuits, along with the steep decline in offertory income caused by the pandemic, has led to the Diocese of Rockville Centre’s decision to file for bankruptcy. With over 1.5 million parishioners, the diocese is the 8th largest in the country.

The schools and parishes of the diocese named in separate lawsuits are separate entities not included in the bankruptcy filing. The bishop of the diocese asserts that the schools and parishes will supposedly continue to function as usual but admits they will be less able to help them financially in the future.

The Diocese of Rockville Centre has a page on their website addressing their efforts to keep young people safe, including reporting suspected abuse. The page shows a confidential hotline number: 516-594-9063.

No one should have to go through the healing process alone after experiencing childhood sexual abuse. A sexual abuse lawyer can help guide you through the legal process to ensure you can seek justice for the harm done to you. If you or someone you know suffered sexual abuse at the Diocese of Rockville Centre and needs a free consultation, please contact Herman Law.