In front of a packed courtroom, with Oakland Bishop Michael Barber looking on, eight survivors who East Bay priests sexually abused as children or teens recounted traumatic stories in front of U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge William Lafferty on Friday as part of the diocese’s ongoing bankruptcy case.
Many of the survivors were overcome with emotion as they recalled being forced into sex acts or raped by trusted priests when they were as young as five-years-old. Some of the accused perpetrators are notorious priests with long track records of abuse allegations, like Stephen Kiesle or Don Broderson. In other cases, the alleged abuser had never been publicly accused before this recent wave of lawsuits, like the now-deceased Monsignor John McCracken.
“It meant a lot to be able to come and talk and have the judge listen,” said survivor Sherry Waterworth, who said she was abused by Stephen Kiesle when she was seven. “I know it does no good in the case, but hopefully in my journey to heal.”
Waterworth, who recounted past struggles with drug abuse, said she later came to find out her sister had also been abused by Kiesle.
“I’ve lost faith in churches, I’ve lost faith in the justice system,” Waterworth said. “But I’m hoping to get it back.”
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