Woman sues diocese, alleges priest abused her

Published 9:44 am Tuesday, May 19, 2015

DULUTH — A Minnesota woman who said she was sexually abused by a priest in the 1960s has filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Duluth.

In the lawsuit, Quin Buchtel accuses the Rev. Charles Gormly of abusing her while he was at St. Francis of Assisi in Brainerd. She said it took place from about 1960 to 1961, and that she was 12 to 13 years old at the time. Gormly died in 1968.

The lawsuit seeks damages for Buchtel, as well as for the Duluth diocese to release documents on priests accused of child abuse. The diocese added Gormly in 2014 to a public list of priests considered “credibly accused” of sexually abusing children.

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The diocese said in a statement that it continues to urge abuse victims to come forward.