We recently settled a very significant sexual abuse claim made by two brothers against the Carmelite Catholic order and Father Louis Rogge.The brothers claimed that they were abused between 1996 and 1999 at their home by the Carmelite priest.
Father Rogge gained access to the boys under the guise of providing spiritual direction. He used what he called the "centering prayer" to slowly break down the boys defenses. One of the brothers describe the prayer as making him feel as if he was hypnotized. The priest acted as their confirmation sponsor. He began to ask them questions about sexual matters and conducted sexual surveys. Rogge would also ask sexual questions in the context of confession. This was all done as a method to groom the boys to accept the abuse. Grooming is the most common method by which sexual abusers gain sexual access to their victims.
Father Louis Rogge was born in 1930. He was ordained as a Carmelite Catholic Priest in 1954. He was involved with the Boy Scout in South America. Work at Loyola University in Chicago, and at Joliet Catholic High School in Joliet Illinois There had been a previous allegation against Father Rogge prior to the abuse committed against the two brothers.
Anyone considering making a similar civil claim should contact an attorney immediately to avoid the claim being barred by time. Most claims involving sexual abuse of children are barred because the victim waited too long to contact an attorney. The statute of limitations varies greatly from state to state. If someone is considering a claim involving sexual abuse of a child or minor they should speak to an attorney familiar with the nuances of the statutes of limitation immediately. Most attorneys that handle these cases will be understanding and helpful and can usually determine in a short phone call if the claim has merit and can still be pursued.
