In a recently filed lawsuit, a man hailing from Suffolk County has brought forward allegations of sexual abuse he experienced in the ’60s at the hands of a Roman Catholic priest within the Brooklyn Diocese. The case alleges that when the plaintiff, Anthony Ianella, was just roughly 10 years old, this heinous crime started and occurred about twelve times within a span of two years.
The lawsuit mentions the accused as the Brooklyn Diocese and Our Lady of the Snows. The implicated priest, who was ordained in the faith in 1961, passed away in 2020. He was officially removed from his ministerial duties in 2002 on the grounds of credible sex abuse allegations. The diocese confirmed this information.
Additionally, in 2019, the accused priest’s name featured in diocese-provided list of clergymen credibly accused of sexual misconduct. The sexual abuse that marks this case allegedly happened at a time when the church was expected to act as a refuge of sanctuary for unsuspecting innocence.
The lawsuit portrays the priest as sociable, genial, and easily approachable, details that seemingly facilitated his grooming of the plaintiff. This grooming consisted of distinctive care and attention, which eventually led the plaintiff to a position of confused trust.
As suggested in court documents, the priest had the plaintiff serve at several Masses with him alone, a scenario that disrupted the typical rotation and assignment of altar boys within the parish. This alone time, potentially, created an easier environment for the alleged abuse to occur.
The court papers further reveal disturbing details of the alleged abuse. Framing a disturbing scene, the documents indicate that the priest would invite Ianella to the sacristy. They suggest the priest would get the young boy to sit on his lap, a lead-up to the more repulsive act of fondling.
Given his age and relative innocence, Ianella, as per the lawsuit, was bewildered by the priest’s actions. The young boy originally thought he could trust the guidance of his priest. He did not anticipate this man, who directed him in his role as an altar boy, would become his aggressor.
The lawsuit underlines that, due to the trust instilled in him and the ensuing bewilderment at what transpired, Ianella kept silent about the abuse for a long time. He never relayed the happenings to anyone, presumably due to the confusion stirred by the abuse he was enduring.
The lawsuit highlights the extensive emotional turmoil Ianella has endured, resulting from the alleged abuse. He experienced overwhelming guilt, shame, and humiliation, such intense emotions that they can only be described as causing severe distress and anguish.
A darker strand of the plaintiff’s life was unveiled as the lawsuit noted Ianella struggled with drug addiction spanning years. A leftover repercussion from his heavy emotional trauma, it’s pointed out as just another devastating factor contributing to his current suffering.
In response to these serious allegations, the Diocese of Brooklyn has made public that it has been actively implementing numerous measures to curb clergy sex abuse since 2003. The steps they have undertaken are shared with transparency, relaying their efforts to enforce a stricter environment within the church.
One of these actions includes notifying the district attorney of all allegations related to clergy sexual abuse. This level of reporting has been put in place to better ensure that any and all accusations are promptly addressed with the seriousness they warrant.
Furthermore, they introduced a zero-tolerance policy, a permanent action in which any clergy member found guilty of sexual abuse against a minor is indefinitely removed from the ministry. This is one of the firm steps they’ve taken hoping to protect the vulnerable from any potential harm.