Louisville Pastor Resigns as Lawsuit Accuses Church of Mishandling Sexual Assault Reports

Photo: Cathedral of the Assumption in Louisville by Bedford, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Father David Sanchez has resigned as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Louisville amid a lawsuit accusing him and the Archdiocese of Louisville of mishandling a church employee’s reports of sexual assault, ABC News affiliate WHAS 11 reported.

The lawsuit, filed Sept. 17, alleges that a janitor was raped and sexually assaulted multiple times in 2025 by her direct supervisor after she began working at the parish that April.

According to the complaint, the woman later reported the abuse to Sanchez. She alleges that he accused her of lying, told her not to discuss the allegations and failed to take meaningful action.

Archbishop Shelton Fabre announced that Sanchez’s resignation took effect Sept. 23. Sanchez has also been placed on administrative leave, although the archbishop said he remains a priest in good standing.

Lawsuit Alleges Pastor Dismissed Employee’s Report

The woman says the abuse began shortly after she was hired and continued until her supervisor left work for what was described as a medical procedure.

The lawsuit alleges that when Sanchez was told about the assaults, he sided with the supervisor, who was described as a friend of the pastor.

The woman later reported the allegations to another supervisor after that person learned of the situation from another source.

She also filed a report with the St. Matthews Police Department.

Police told WHAS11 they are investigating the allegations and consulting with the prosecutor’s office.

Protective Order Issued Against Supervisor

The woman obtained a protective order against the supervisor in December 2025. That order was later converted into a three-year domestic violence order.

The civil lawsuit names Sanchez and church-related defendants and focuses in part on whether parish leaders followed their own policies after learning about the alleged abuse.

The allegations raise broader questions about what happens when a church employee reports sexual violence committed by another person working inside the institution.

For survivors, the response after a report can be nearly as important as the safeguards in place before abuse occurs. When complaints are dismissed, minimized or discouraged, alleged offenders may remain in positions where they can continue interacting with employees or parishioners.

Pastor Resigns Following Lawsuit

In a letter to parishioners, Fabre acknowledged that the controversy had created unrest at Our Lady of Lourdes and said Sanchez no longer wanted to remain a source of division within the parish.

Father John Schwartzlose, the parish’s associate pastor, has been appointed temporary administrator. The archbishop said he expects that arrangement to remain in place until a new pastor is appointed, potentially in 2027.

The Archdiocese of Louisville has declined to comment on the pending lawsuit.

Other parishioners have also told WHAS11 that they previously raised concerns with the Archdiocese and felt those complaints were not adequately addressed.

Those reports could become significant if the litigation examines whether church leaders had prior notice of concerns involving parish leadership or whether broader institutional practices contributed to the alleged failures.

Church Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Often Focus on Institutional Response

Catholic Church sexual abuse lawsuits do not always center exclusively on alleged abuse by clergy.

Claims can also involve employees, volunteers, supervisors or other people connected to a parish, particularly when church leaders are accused of ignoring reports, discouraging complaints or failing to protect someone after learning about alleged misconduct.

The Louisville lawsuit reflects that broader issue: whether an institution that receives a report of sexual abuse responds in a way that protects the person reporting it and prevents further harm.