CONNECTICUT CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Representing Survivors of Child & Adult Clergy Abuse

If you or someone you love were sexually abused by a member of the Catholic clergy in Connecticut, you may be entitled to compensation.

In recent years, various record releases and court filings have produced evidence of a rampant sexual abuse problem within all three of Connecticut’s Roman Catholic dioceses. In addition to revealing that more than 130 priests have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse in parishes across the state, the records also show that church officials engaged in a decades-long coverup that enabled predator priests to abuse children without consequence.

Now, survivors are stepping forward in increasing numbers to seek justice and hold the Church accountable. Our award-winning attorneys at Levy Konigsberg are here to help.

Internal Records Reveal Long List of Accused Clergy in Connecticut

Like other Roman Catholic dioceses that have been forced to respond to high-profile scandals, the three dioceses of Connecticut have taken steps to publicize the names of priests, deacons, and other church members who have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse.

These publications include the names of 134 priests and clergy members who have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse. The allegations date back decades to the 1950s and include claims of abuse that took place at parishes and other locations across the state. For example:

• The Archdiocese of Hartford’s public list includes the names of 44 priests and deacons who have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse from 1953 to the present. The Hartford Diocese has also publicly identified 9 priests from other dioceses who have been credibly accused of abusing minors in the Hartford Archdiocese, and 3 Hartford Archdiocese clergy accused of abusing minors outside of the Archdiocese.
• The Diocese of Bridgeport’s public list includes the names of 44 priests and clergy members credibly accused of sexually abusing minors. This includes 15 priests who are currently living, 22 priests who are deceased, four clergy members from other religious orders who served in the Diocese, and one visiting priest from outside the Diocese.
• The Diocese of Norwich’s public list includes a total of 50 credibly accused priests and clergy, including 24 priests from the Norwich Diocese accused of abuse within the Diocese, two visiting priests, six priests belonging to religious orders who served in the Norwich Diocese, and 18 clergy members who served in the Norwich Diocese but were accused in other places.

Notably, these lists have their limitations. They do not include the names of priests who have faced allegations that don’t meet the Church’s own standards for “credibility,” nor do they name priests whose investigations were “impeded by judicial procedures.” As such, they leave out many priests and clerics who have been accused of abusing minors in Connecticut parishes over the years.

But while these lists may leave out many names, they still show that the Church has struggled for decades to control a rampant sexual abuse problem.

Legal Filings Detail Dark History of Sexual Abuse in Connecticut Catholic Churches

In addition to lists of credibly accused priests released by the Dioceses, various legal filings and high-profile settlements amounting to millions of dollars have revealed alarming claims about the scope of child sexual abuse within Connecticut Catholic Churches and how Church officials failed for decades to report abusive priests and protect victims. Some examples include:

• In July 2025, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford agreed to pay a $2.4 million settlement to a former altar boy at St. Adalbert’s School in Enfield who alleged he was sexually abused by a priest, Adolph Renkiewicz, more than 100 times over a five-year period, beginning in the 1980s.  The victim alleged he was repeatedly taken out of class to serve at funerals where the abuse would take place.

• In February 2023, the Archdiocese of Hartford reached a settlement with a woman who was repeatedly sexually abused by Father Toribio Villacastin at St. Isaac Jogues Parish in East Hartford from 1969 to 1970 when she was 8 to 9 years old. Villacastin, who died in 2008, was listed on the Archdiocese’s credibly accused list in 2022. He was also assigned to St. John of Arc Church in Naugatuck from 1972 to 1973.

• In January 2023, the Diocese of Norwich agreed to set aside $29 million in a trust to compensate survivors who were sexually abused by priests and other church employees. The trust was created after the Diocese filed for bankruptcy in June 2021 after it was hit with dozens of claims from survivors who were sexually abused at Mount Saint John, a former boy’s residential school in Deep River that closed in 2013. More than 140 additional claims were lodged against the Diocese after its bankruptcy filing.

• In May 2021, the Hartford Archdiocese reached a settlement with a man who was repeatedly sexually abused by former priest Kenneth Bonadies while he was a student as East Catholic High School in Manchester from 1981 to 1985. The Archdiocese claimed that it had not received any claims against Bonadies, who was ordained in 1965, prior to his retirement in 2004.

• In March 2019, the Diocese of Bridgeport agreed to pay $3.55 million to five men who were sexually abused in the 1980s to early 2000s by three priests: Rev. Walter Coleman of Bridgeport, Rev. Robert Morrissey of Brookfield, and Rev. Larry Jensen of Ridgefield.

• In January 2019, the Hartford Archdiocese revealed that it had paid nearly $51 million to settle sexual abuse claims against priests. The settlements came in cases involving child sexual abuse dating back to 1953 and priests such as Felix Maguire, who ministered in West Haven, Robert Ladamus of Milford, who died in 2012, and Howard J. Nash, who died in 2001.

• In November 2005, the Hartford Archdiocese agreed to pay $22 million to 43 people who were sexually abused by priests and clergy members dating back to the 1960s. Among the 14 priests accused in the claims were Rev. Thomas Glynn, Rev. William Przybylo of SS Cyril and Methodius in Hartford, Rev. Daniel McSheffery, and Revs. Joseph Buckley, Stephen Crowley, Ivan Ferguson, Stephen Foley, John Graham, Felix Maguire, Edward Muha, Louis Paturzo, Raymond Paul, Edward Reardon, and Kenneth Shiner.

• In October 2003, the Diocese of Bridgeport agreed to pay $21 million to 40 survivors who were sexually abused by 16 priests. At the time, the settlement brought the total of payouts made by the Diocese for 89 separate claims involving 22 priests to $37.7 million.

Do I Have A Case?

You may have a sexual abuse claim against the Catholic Church if:

• You were sexually abused as a minor or an adult within the Church.
• The abuser was a priest, clergy member, or some other Church volunteer or employee.
• Your abuse occurred at any time in the past.

As with civil sexual abuse cases, claims filed with the bankruptcy settlement fund are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse. Instead, they focus on holding the Archdiocese liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:

• Your abuser is no longer alive.
• Your abuser was never charged or convicted of a crime.

Determining whether you have grounds to pursue a claim can be challenging, which is why our team at Levy Konigsberg is readily available to help.

Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims

In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:

• Past medical and mental health expenses
• Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and psychological harm
• Lost income
• Other economic and non-economic damages

Connecticut Sexual Abuse Attorneys

Connecticut has been a leader in revising the civil statute of limitations—or the deadline by which Plaintiffs must file suit to be eligible for a recovery of damages—in cases involving sexual abuse.

The statute of limitations for bringing a sexual abuse lawsuit in Connecticut will depend on the specific facts of a case, including the age of the victim and even the criminal guilt of the alleged abuser.

• Claims involving convicted abusers. Thanks to an amendment made effective in 2022, Connecticut has no statute of limitations for civil actions brought against alleged abusers who have been convicted of 1st-degree sexual assault or 1st-degree aggravated sexual assault. (Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 926 § 52-577e).
• Abuse claims involving victims 21 or younger. In Connecticut, victims who were sexually abused under 21 years of age can file civil claims within 30 years from the date they turn 21. This means child sexual abuse survivors and survivors abused between the ages of 18 and 20 have until the age of 51 to file civil lawsuits. (Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 926 § 52-577d).
• Abuse claims involving adult victims. Connecticut does not have a specific statute of limitations for sexual abuse lawsuits filed by victims who were abused or assaulted as adults. Instead, adult survivors are subject to the statute of limitations applicable to torts like personal injury. In Connecticut, this is three years from the date of the alleged abuse (Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 926 § 52-577).