Maine’s Catholic diocese settled older claims only when others agreed not to sue, lawyers say
Maine Catholic Diocese Settles Dozens of Child Sex Abuse Claims Amid Legal Restrictions
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland has reached settlements with more than 100 individuals who allege they were sexually abused by clergy as children, attorneys announced Tuesday, though many other survivors remain barred from seeking justice under current state law.
The agreements come after the Maine Supreme Judicial Court struck down a 2021 state law in February 2025 that had opened a limited window for adults to sue over decades-old childhood sexual abuse claims. The high court ruled that religious organizations, including the diocese, possessed a constitutional "vested right" to be exempt from liability for historical abuse allegations.
Since that ruling, individuals with claims dating before 1987 have been unable to pursue civil litigation in Maine courts, regardless of the severity of their allegations or how recently they discovered the abuse.
At a news conference Wednesday in Auburn, plaintiff attorneys Keith Amato and Jessica Arbour explained that the diocese required settling clients to dismiss their cases as a condition for settlement agreements. Amato, who says he was abused by a priest at a Van Buren parish as a child, emphasized that his decision to settle was made in solidarity with those who cannot currently bring their cases to court.
"We just wanted accountability and justice, and we had to fight tooth and nail to get that," said Ann Allen, one of the original plaintiffs who sued the diocese in 2022 before the court's ruling. Allen alleges she was sexually abused by then-Rev. Lawrence Sabatino when she was approximately six years old at St. Peter's Parish in Portland in 1960.
Allen's attorneys noted that Sabatino's misconduct may have been known to diocesan officials as early as 1958, when Patricia Butkowski sought help after her daughter was also abused. Butkowski attended Wednesday's news conference via video call from Florida.
"Sabatino was moved from parish to parish despite being aware of his predatory behavior," said attorney Michael Bigos. "At least a dozen of the men allegedly abused by Sabatino are included in the recent settlements."
Brother Shawn McEnany, who perpetrated abuse in Maine before pleading guilty in 1988 to unlawful sexual contact with a minor, later worked at a Catholic school in New Hampshire where Arbour says he "continued to abuse children."
The settlements include claims from victims of Rev. John Curran and members of the Penobscot Nation who allege abuse by church employees at St. Ann's Church on the Indian Island reservation from the 1950s through the 1980s. Several clergy members referenced in the lawsuits have since died, though at least two accused individuals remain alive.
Most settlement agreements require dropping civil claims against the diocese, though plaintiffs retain the right to speak with authorities about potential criminal prosecution. None of the attorneys confirmed receiving apologies from diocesan leadership.
Approximately 10 plaintiffs died before settlements were finalized, with their estates receiving compensation. Advocates continue pressing for legislative changes to restore survivors' ability to seek civil redress for historical abuse.
Survivor Ann Allen concluded Wednesday's event with a message for others who have experienced similar trauma: "What happened to you was not your fault. You deserved to be protected, you deserved to be believed, and you deserve support and healing."
The Maine Attorney General's Office maintains a publicly available list of clergy deemed "credibly accused" following a 2004 investigation. The diocese has not responded to requests for comment regarding the settlements or the attorneys' concerns about uncompensated survivors.
