A woman who grew up worshiping in the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church in Seward is suing the Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, alleging that the priest serving the parish in the 1970’s raped her repeatedly over a period of more than five years.
The lawsuit identifies the plaintiff as a Jane Doe. She claims the late Reverend George Pierce abused her starting when she was 11 years old, threatening to get her mother fired from her job as a cook and housekeeper at the church and the rectory if the girl reported him. She claims the diocese and Bishop William Connare knew about George’s behavior as early as 1972 but allowed him to continue in ministry until his retirement in 1998.
Her attorney says the woman opted to sue after the diocese offered her $88,100 in compensation. She is seeking unspecified damages, accusing the diocese of fraud and conspiracy for allowing Pierce to remain in ministry without warning parishioners of his behavior.
Pierce died in 2009.
