Jeff Anderson sues Missouri abbey for sexual abuse 'coverup'

By Andy Mannix Fri., Jun. 24 2011 at 10:56 AM

Categories: Religion

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Anderson has filed thousands of abuse lawsuits.

Twin Cities attorney Jeff Anderson filed a civil suit yesterday accusing a Missouri-based abbey of covering up sexual abuse by a former monk.

Anderson is famous for his tireless pursuit against abusive priests and church coverups. He's filed thousands of lawsuits over the years alleging abuse. He even tried to serve the Pope earlier this year.

His latest case is against Conception Abbey in northwest Missouri. According to the suit, a Benedictine monk named Bede Parry molested the plaintiff -- listed only as John Doe 181, given the nature of the allegations -- at a choir camp in 1987.

The plaintiff told his parents what happened, and they confronted the abbey, according to the lawsuit. At the time, an Abbot "told plaintiff's parents that Fr. Parry had a 'mental breakdown' and that he would be treated for this breakdown."

From the lawsuit, (read in full here):

In fact, Fr. Parry did not have a "mental breakdown." Instead, Fr. Parry was a known serial child predator who had sexually abused numerous students before Fr. Parry sexually abused the Plaintiff...The Abbey knew that Fr. Parry had sexually abused other students prior to Fr. Parry's sexual abuse of the Plaintiff.

Parry was sent to a number of treatment facilities, but remained active in the ministry, according to the lawsuit.

In 2000, he underwent psychological testing to see if he could come back to monastery, according to the suit. Though the results showed he was a "sexual abuser who had the proclivity to reoffend with minors," Parry was sent to All Saints' Episcopal Church in Las Vegas, where he works today.

A representative at Conception Abbey says no one is commenting on the lawsuit at this time.

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