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A Holden woman who charged in 2012 that the former pastor of St George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral sexually abused her over a three-year period sued the clergyman, who was convicted, and several Antiochian church organisations. Recently, Susan Manter filed a civil suit in Worcester Superior Court seeking a minimum of 40,000 USD (1.275 million Roubles. 41,160 CAD. 41,340 AUD. 29,200 Euros. 27,800 UK Pounds) in damages against the pastor, Rev Charles M Abdelahad; the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America; the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of New England; the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Worcester, and St George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral. Several individuals in leadership or staff positions at the cathedral or within the church network were also named as defendants in the suit, being, Fawaz Elk Khoury, Maureen Butler, Jeff Solof, Philip Saliba, John Abdalah, Robert Laham, Steve Husson, Mary Ann Kourey, Victor Kourey, Diane Kourey, Ed Hughes, Brian Hurley and Gregory Abdalah. Bishop Saliba is the archbishop of the Diocese of New York and the Antiochian Metropolitan of North America. Bishop Abdalah is the Auxiliary Bishop of Worcester. Mr Hughes is a priest in the Lowell-Lawrence area, who also serves as dean in the New England Diocese. Mr Solof is a deacon at St George.
The suit said that the individual defendants should’ve known about the abuse and should’ve reported it to authorities. Rev Abdelahad was sentenced to serve 90 days of a 2-year term in the Worcester County Jail and House of Correction after being convicted in May 2012 of abusing Ms Manter, then 45, during counselling sessions held at the Anna Street church. Rev Abdelahad was released from jail in August 2012. On Thursday, his status with the church couldn’t be determined Thursday. The priest took a voluntary leave of absence after he was charged. According to the suit, Rev Abdelahad abused Ms Manter from 2007 until 27 September 2010. Information from the suit and the criminal trial proceedings indicated Ms Manter was hit, kicked, bitten, and slapped in the head and body. She said she also endured emotional and sexual abuse. The suit said that Ms Manter suffered broken bones, concussions, and other serious injuries requiring hospitalisation and numerous trips to doctors and dentists. The events surrounding Rev Abdelahad caused a rift at St George Cathedral between supporters and opponents of the priest. Attempts to reach some of the defendants were not successful Thursday.
18 October 2013
Bronislaus Kush
Worcester (MA) News Telegram
http://www.telegram.com/article/20131018/NEWS/310189850/1160/SPECIALSECTIONS04&source=rss
Filed under: Christian, legal, religious, Uncategorized, USA Tagged: abuse, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, Antiochian Orthodox Church, Christian, Christianity, Church of Antioch, criminal priests, Eastern Orthodox Church, Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, Holden MA, legal affairs, Massachusetts, Orthodox, Orthodoxy, Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East, Religion, Religion and Spirituality, sex abuse charges, Sexual abuse, United States, USA, Worcester County (MA), Worcester MA