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Photo: Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona, Minnesota, part of the Rochester–Winona Diocese; via Wikipedia.
KORC News reported yesterday (reposted by BishopAccountability.org) that a jury in Olmsted County, MN has awarded more than $4.8 million to a man who was abused as a child by a Catholic priest in Rochester. The case centers on Charles Brown, who attended Lourdes High School in the early to mid-1970s. Father Joseph Cashman, then the school’s principal, abused Brown repeatedly while he was in 9th and 10th grade, according to court records.
Brown’s abuse was first reported in 1991, well after Minnesota’s statute of limitations had expired. But the legal landscape changed in 2013 when the Minnesota Legislature passed the Minnesota Child Victims Act. The law opened a temporary window allowing survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits, even if their deadlines to file had long since passed.
Brown sued the Diocese of Rochester-Winona in 2023. By the time the case reached trial, the Diocese had acknowledged that it “negligently breached a duty to protect Mr. Brown from sexual abuse by Cashman” and that it “negligently supervised and retained Cashman.” The jury’s only task was to determine the amount of damages Brown should receive for decades of physical, emotional and psychological harm.
This verdict comes after the Diocese participated in a 2021 settlement in federal bankruptcy court that set aside $22 million to compensate clergy abuse survivors, with insurance companies providing an additional $6.5 million. Brown’s case demonstrates that survivors who were unable to participate in previous settlements may still have legal avenues, and that juries are willing to hold institutions financially accountable for the harm caused by abusive clergy.
If You Are a Survivor, You Have Options
As this story shows, significant compensation may be possible after coming forward. If you or someone you care about was abused by a Catholic priest or church official, you may still be able to take legal action. To learn more about your rights visit our Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Guide.
Additionally, you may take the first step toward justice by seeing if you may qualify for compensation. Fill out the secure, confidential review to have our intake team start the process.
