YORK, Pa. – A woman who reported that she had been sexually abused by a Catholic priest in Pennsylvania when she was a teenager is now suing the Catholic Church after finding out the church investigated her and her family.

Juliann Bortz, now 68, had become a member of a survivors' group and an outspoken critic of the church and its efforts to conceal the abuse perpetrated by its clergy.

It wasn’t until the Pennsylvania grand jury report on sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests came out that the woman realized the lengths the church would go to protect itself. The report identified more than 300 priests who preyed on more than 1,000 children in six Roman Catholic dioceses across the state.

According to the grand jury, the church investigated her and her family, looking for information, however irrelevant to her accusations, that would serve to discredit her.

The church hired investigators to dig into her life, looking for dirt that the church apparently hoped would cast doubt on her accusations, despite her testimony being bolstered by another woman who witnessed her abuse and endured abuse herself.

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Bortz, from the Allentown, Pennsylvania, area, was shocked.

The church suggested that she was cooperating with authorities because her daughter had witnessed a murder and that she was somehow seeking favor with prosecutors on behalf of her daughter, even though her daughter was merely a witness and had never been suspected of anything.

The church’s investigation, according to the grand jury, even suggested that there was something suspicious about her husband’s involvement in a Christian motorcycle club.

The church’s investigators suspected that she was “looking for her 15 minutes of fame,” according to the grand jury.

That was all news to Bortz.

It made her angry, she said in an interview a few weeks ago, just days after appearing on the dais when Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the findings of the grand jury.

“It’s crazy,” she said at the time. “It’s absolutely crazy.”

On Wednesday, Bortz fired back, filing a lawsuit in Lehigh County (Pennsylvania) Court charging the church with defamation for the “smear campaign” the church waged against her when she chose to speak out about the abuse she endured and her advocacy for other victims.

Her lawyer, Ben Andreozzi, described the litigation as “unique,” perhaps the first attempt to sue the church for its “egregious” behavior in trying to silence victims.

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“It’s the first attempt to hold the church accountable for this type of behavior,” Andreozzi said, that the church “tried to turn up dirt on her and her family rather than focusing on the offender.”

The suit accuses the church of inflicting emotional distress and defaming Bortz by attempting to gather “irrelevant, unrelated (or) false ‘dirt’” on her and her family.

According to the grand jury report, Father Francis Fromholzer sexually abused Bortz when she was a 14-year-old freshman at Allentown Central Catholic High School. She and another girl, who was not named in the grand jury report, had been abused by the priest during a trip to the Poconos.

Fromholzer, who retired in October 2002, has denied the allegations.

Attempts by the girls to report the abuse were met by rebukes from the church.

But it wasn’t until the grand jury report was released that Bortz learned the extent of the church’s efforts to discredit her.

“As Juliann first learned in August 2018, instead of taking Juliann seriously, and investigating Fromholzer’s abuse of children,” the suit states, “the diocese immediately ‘attempted to undermine and discredit Juliann and her family.’”

Bortz, the suit alleges, was “beyond devastated, felt betrayed and suffered severe psychological/psychiatric distress” when she learned of the lengths the church went to discredit her.

“The Diocese’s handling of Juliann Bortz’ allegations of sexual abuse against Fromholzer were indicative of how Pennsylvania’s Catholic Dioceses, including Allentown, silenced victims, protected child abusers and avoided scandal,” the suit states.

Diocese responds

In a statement released in response to the lawsuit, the Allentown Diocese said, "Bishop (Alfred) Schlert has always viewed victims as sincere, dignified and extremely courageous for coming forward. He has always treated them with respect, and always will. For those who suggest otherwise, nothing could be further from the truth.

"With regard to the allegations in this lawsuit, the Diocese did not disclose the information publicly. We provided it to the Grand Jury as a result of a subpoena. In fact, it was the Grand Jury Report that made this information public.

"The Diocese did not solicit this information. The Diocese never investigated the victim or attempted to discredit her. The Diocese never acted on the unsolicited information. In fact, after the Diocese met with the victim in 2002, the Diocese removed the priest from ministry. Law enforcement already was aware of the allegation.

"As a Diocese, we treat victims with compassion, respect and dignity. We would never direct anyone to do otherwise."

Bortz wants an apology.

In addition to unspecified monetary compensation, the lawsuit specifically seeks an apology from the church and a private meeting to allow church officials to explain “how this happened and what steps they have taken to ensure this never happens again.”

Her lawyer said, “It isn’t about the money. Juliann wants an apology, and she wants answers about whose idea it was to smear her name.”

Andreozzi said Bortz also hopes that the litigation sheds light on the church’s efforts to intimidate and discredit other victims by “turning up dirt on victims and their family members rather than the offenders.”

Bortz had previously reported the abuse to law enforcement, which referred the case to the Lehigh County district attorney, who declined to prosecute, citing the expiration of the statute of limitations.

A previous lawsuit filed by Bortz against the church also had been dismissed for the same reason.

Follow Mike Argento on Twitter: @FnMikeArgento

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