A woman who filed suit against the Rev. Michael Keating last October, claiming he sexually abused her while she was a minor, is now suing the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for negligence related to the abuse. Keating, a former St. Thomas faculty member, resigned from his position in the Catholic studies department Sept. 16 after taking leave last fall.
The lawsuit claims the archdiocese neglected to warn the woman of Keating’s alleged history of abuse, failed to take her allegations against Keating seriously, conducted a “sham investigation” after she contacted church officials, and published false statements about her.
The woman claims Keating sexually abused her while she was a minor between 1997 and 2000. Keating was a seminarian in St. Paul at the time, according to the lawsuit.
“Following Plaintiff’s report of allegations of sexual abuse by Keating, the Archdiocese recklessly continued him in ministry with full faculties and continued to hold him out as fit and trustworthy,” according to the lawsuit.
When asked for comment, the archdiocese issued a statement from Bishop Lee Pichè, noting that Keating has been on leave from ministry since last October, when the original lawsuit was filed. Pichè said the archdiocese is still investigating the claim against Keating.
Former Vicar General Kevin McDonough is also named in the lawsuit. McDonough is accused of falsely claiming the woman had “delusions.”
“McDonough’s comments were calculated to expose the Plaintiff to public contempt or ridicule, and thus induce an ill opinion of her, and impair her in the good opinion and respect of others,” the lawsuit reads.
Grace Pastoor can be reached at past6138@stthomas.edu.
TommieMedia contacted McDonough’s attorney, but he has not commented at this time.
In this latest court action, attorney Jeff Anderson has made the archdiocese and McDonough part of the original lawsuit, which was filed against Keating last fall.
Keating began teaching at St. Thomas in 2006 and worked as the manager of the Catholic studies department’s Rome program.