The Catholic Dioceses of Corpus Christi and Baton Rouge have reached a settlement with Glenn Hymel who alleged a Baton Rouge Bishop, Joseph Sullivan, sexually abused him as a boy while he was minor seminarian with the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Sullivan abused Hymel from 1978 to 1982 while he was a seminary student in Baton Rouge and Corpus Christi.
Unfortunately, the Diocese of Corpus Christi is not paying for the settlement, because the Bishop Joseph Vincent Sullivan was with the Baton Rouge diocese, according to a spokesman for the Diocese. This is despite the fact that molestation took place with Hymel was a minor seminary student entrusted to the care of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Hymel spent two years as a minor seminary student in the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
The matter settled on the eve of trial in the 214th District Court, Nueces County. The settlement includes continued counseling for Hymel which he will need to continue his healing process and to continue to strengthen his marriage. The molestation represented a break in his spirituality and challenged his beliefs. Hymel once aspired to the priesthood, but now Hymel cannot step foot in a church alone
This suit has been part of Hymel’s healing process and in coming forward with something so private and so horrible, he hopes to shed light on problem that has plagued the church. He hopes that the Catholic Church will commit to protecting its parishioners and not tolerating this horrible conduct.
To read more about this story, please see: http://www.caller.com/news/2009/oct/13/dioceses-of-corpus-christi-baton-rouge-settle/