WHAT:
At a news conference, a survivor of clergy childhood sex abuse will
-- publicly identify himself and announce the filing of his lawsuit following Governor Newsom signing Assembly Bill 218 on October 13, 2019.
-- thank Assemblyperson Lorena Gonzalez and Governor Gavin Newsom and for standing with survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
He will also urge others to
-- “not suffer in silence” as he has done for so many years and to file reports with the California’s attorney general if they “saw, suspected or suffered” crimes or cover ups in the Oakland Diocese (https://oag.ca.gov/clergyabuse); and
-- take advantage of a new state law that helps victims expose child sexual abusers in court.
It’s among the first of such suits to be filed under a just-signed California law that gives potentially thousands of childhood sexual abuse victims (regardless of their age) three years (January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022) to sue those who committed and concealed childhood sexual abuse.
WHEN / WHERE:
Tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 6th. at 11:00 a.m.
On the sidewalk of Moreau Catholic High School, 27170 Mission Blvd., Hayward, CA 94544
WHO:
- George Houle, a survivor of clergy childhood sexual abuse by Brother John Moriarty (Christian Brothers) and Father Gordon Wilcox (Holy Cross, the former principal of Moreau Catholic High School
- Dr. Joseph C. George, attorney for survivor of childhood sexual abuse
- Tim Stier, an Oakland native, author and whistleblower priest who worked for 25 years in Oakland parishes until 2005 when he chose exile from active ministry began advocating for marginalized groups within the church.
WHY:
George Houle, first came to meet Christian Brother John Moriarty in or around 1975, when George was 15 years old, during his first year at Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, California. Brother John Moriarty was assigned to the Christian Brothers’ Retreat House in St. Helena, California, where Moreau Catholic High School students, including George, went for retreats. Father Gordon Wilcox, was a Holy Cross priest, and the principal and head priest of Moreau Catholic High School. Both Brother John Moriarty and Father Gordon Wilcox sexually abused George, while George was a student at Moreau Catholic High School.
On February 18, 2019, the Diocese of Oakland, released its list of clerics credibly accused of childhood sexual abuse, which identifies Brother John Moriarty and Father Gordon Wilcox. Brother John Moriarty was also identified on the Diocese of Santa Rosa’s list of clerics credibly accused of childhood sexual abuse, which was released on January 12, 2019.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/02/18/oakland-diocese-names-45-priests-accused-of-sexual-abuse/
Wilcox died in 1984. Besides working at Moreau Catholic High School (1971-1978), Wilcox worked at St. George’s College in Santiago Chile (1956-1960), University of Portland in Portland, Oregon (1961-1963), Notre Dame High School in Niles, Illinois (1964-1970), University of Portland in Portland, Oregon (1981-1982), and Moreau Seminary, in Notre Dame, Indiana (1984).
Moriarty died in 2013. He joined the Christian Brothers in the Midwest District in 1951. Besides working at the Christian Brothers’ Retreat House in St. Helena, California (1973-1978), he also worked at LaSalle Manor in Plano, Illinois (1970-1973), La Salle High School in Milwaukie, Oregon (1983), De La Salle High School in Concord, California (1983), California State Polytechnic Institute in San Luis Obispo, California (1983-1990), St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California (1990-1992). From 1978 to 1983, Moriarty may have worked in Berkeley and Santa Rosa, California. Moriarty also worked in East Africa.
http://www.bishopaccountability.org/assign/Moriarty_Brother_John_fsc.htm
In September, the California legislature passed Assembly Bill 218. Commonly called a “civil window,” the law provides a three-year window for anyone who was molested as a child in to use the court system to expose those who committed and concealed the crimes, regardless of when the crimes were committed.
It’s expected to result in hundreds of civil child sex abuse and cover up lawsuits against California institutions and employers, and expose hundreds of predators who have been ‘under the radar.’
On October 13th, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed that measure into law.
In addition, it also extends the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual assault, allowing survivors up to their 40th birthday (formerly their 26th birthday), or within five years (formerly three years) from the date of discovery of an adult psychological injury caused by the childhood sexual assault.
To report clergy sex crimes and cover ups to the California attorney general’s office, see https://oag.ca.gov/clergyabuse
CONTACT:
Dr. Joseph C. George 916.802.7949 cell, 916.641.7300 office, jcg@psyclaw.com,
Maricar A. Pascual 707.342.4722 cell, 916.641.7300 office, maricar@psyclaw.com
Tim Stier (510) 557-4917 cell
