Latest lawsuit against a Catholic priest for child abuse

[Guest guest]

L.A. dioceses paying $1.2 million abuse settlement

April 2, 2002 Posted: 1:27 PM EST (1827 GMT)

 

 

>From Jim Vojtech

CNN

 

ORANGE, California (CNN) -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and the Los

Angeles Archdiocese said Tuesday they will pay a woman who alleges that she

was impregnated by a Catholic priest when she was 16 a $1.2 million

settlement.

 

Lori Haigh, a 37-year-old mother of two living in northern California, told

reporters Monday she was sexually abused by Father John Lenihan for more

than three years, beginning when she was 14.

 

Orange Diocese officials said Lenihan has agreed to leave the priesthood and

steps are being taken to institute stronger policies and reporting

mechanisms for handling future allegations of sexual misconduct by the

clergy.

 

Haigh said that, after she became pregnant, Lenihan told her to have an

abortion, which she did. "I have never been able to reconcile the fact that

the priest who preached on subjects like 'abortion is a mortal sin' was the

one who told me to have an abortion," she said Monday.

 

Haigh also leveled allegations against a priest who she said ignored her

attempts as a teen-ager to report the alleged abuse. Monsignor Lawrence

Baird -- who was then Father Baird -- inappropriately touched and kissed her

when she went to him seeking guidance, she said.

 

Baird denied the allegation to reporters, saying he had never met Haigh. He

added that if the charge is not retracted quickly, he will sue for

defamation of character. "I have 100 percent memory that I have never made

any inappropriate contact with any person during my 33 years as a priest,"

he said.

 

Haigh, who was present when Baird spoke to reporters at a news conference,

said afterward, "I can't believe it. This whole time, I was really expecting

an apology. Up to this moment, I was expecting an apology."

 

The diocese said it found no evidence to substantiate the allegation against

Baird.

 

Meanwhile, an Orange County sheriff's deputy took an official report on the

allegations against Lenihan and Baird, giving prosecutors up to a year to

file criminal charges.

 

Calls to Lenihan's attorney were not returned Monday.