A $10 million civil lawsuit was filed in Hampden Superior Court against two former Roman Catholic bishops for alleged sexual abuse.
Shawn Senuta alleges he was sexually abused by Bishops Christopher Weldon and Joseph Maguire more than 50 years ago when he was 4 or 5 years old while residing at Brightside, a residential institute for children owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield.
The suit claims the abuse began around 1973 or 1974. It alleges Bishop Weldon fondled Senuta and made him perform sexual acts, and that Bishop Maguire also victimized Senuta on more than one occasion at Brightside.
The bishops allegedly told Senuta that no one would believe him or that God would not forgive him. Senuta said he struggled for years with the alleged abuse until he disclosed it to his wife in 2022.
Senuta’s attorneys at Sweeney and Merrigan Law told 22News that their client “has shown extraordinary courage in coming forward and this case is a powerful reminder of why accountability matters.”
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