Lourdes High School dropped from sexual assault lawsuit

(ABC 6 News) – A lawsuit alleging a former Lourdes High School student was sexually assaulted multiple times by a former clergyman with the Diocese of Winona-Rochester nearly 50 years ago has dismissed the school.

Original court documents state the alleged abuse took place between 1972 to 1974 with a then 14 to 16-year-old plaintiff.

The lawsuit, filed in July 2023, stated the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and Rochester Catholic Schools “knew or should have known” the clergyman posed a danger to children before molesting the plaintiff.

According to court documents, the high school was dismissed on Aug. 31, 2023 without an award to either the plaintiff or defendant.

According to court documents, the request for removal was granted based on timely filing of notice of removal on Sept. 11 and future hearings were to be held before a judicial officer starting Sept. 12.

The private litigation between the clergyman and plaintiff still continues.

—RELATED: Lawsuit alleges incidents of sexual assault at the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Rochester Catholic Schools