Maine Archdiocese Pays 200K to Settle Abuse Case

After pouring a half million dollars into a Maine antigay marriage ballot measure, the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Portland paid out $200,000 to settle a priest sex abuse suit, only days after voters rescinded marriage rights for same-sex couples.

A church spokeswoman confirmed to WMTW that the payment was made November 5, two days following the passage of Question 1, which repealed a state marriage equality law passed in May.

The unnamed female victim in the case was 11 years old at the time of the abuse, allegedly at the hands of the late Reverend James Vallely, who served in several Maine parishes. The diocese first received a complaint regarding the priest in 1978.

Three other people have also come forward alleging Vallely abused them, according to diocese spokeswoman Sue Bernard.