Wrongful Death Case Filed Against Philadelphia Archdiocese

Being the victim of sexual abuse can bring real and serious consequences. It's a concept that the Roman Catholic Church just doesn't seem to want to grasp even as more and more evidence of the malfeasance of the "princes of the church" in the Philadelphia Archdiocese continue to make news. In this regard, a new lawsuit has been filed against the Archdiocese that relates to Daniel Neill, a 36-year-old former St. Mark Parish altar boy who committed suicide in 2009 after reporting he had been sexually abused by a priest. I continue to be unable to comprehend the callousness and hypocrisy of the Church leaders who cynically put the Church's "reputation" ahead of the safety and well being of thousands upon thousands of children.The abject morally bankruptcy of these nasty old men is chilling. Here are highlights from CNN on the new lawsuit(NOTE: despite Neill's complaints to Church authorities, no action was ever taken to restrict his abuser's access to other children and youth):
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A new wrongful death claim against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Archbishop Cardinal Justin Rigali was filed Wednesday on behalf of the family of Daniel Neill, a 36-year-old former St. Mark Parish altar boy who committed suicide in 2009 after reporting he had been sexually abused by a priest. Neill's suicide and allegations of sexual abuse were included in a recent Philadelphia grand jury report released in February.
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Neill's sister, Michelle Forsyth, and mother, Mary Neill, filed the lawsuit so that children can be better protected, they said in a statement on Tuesday. "It is simply our desire to perhaps get the Archdiocese officials to recognize their obligations and to do a better job of healing the wounded and protecting the children - instead of being concerned about their reputation. Our family member said more than once, 'I am not looking for anything other than for the Church to believe me,' " the family said in the statement.
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According to the grand jury report, Neill told the victim assistance coordinator that during his childhood, Gallagher discussed masturbation during confession; fondled him during outings in the priest's car, at the house of the priest's mother, upstairs in the rectory, in a utility room in the sacristy and in a loft in the church; and that the priest also hit the boy.
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According to the grand jury report, on July 24, 2008, Neill was notified that the Archdiocese Review Board could not substantiate his allegation. Neill committed suicide on June 6, 2009. The grand jury report also said that Gallagher, though retired, still regularly assisted at St. Jerome and St. Timothy parishes in Philadelphia as well as St. Thomas Aquinas in Croyden, Pennsylvania.