ARLINGTON, Va., June 28 (UPI) -- A Virginia woman has sued a major anti-abortion group, charging the Catholic priest who headed the group sexually assaulted her during "exorcisms."
The lawsuit filed in state court last week seeks $5.3 million in damages from Human Life International, the Catholic diocese of Arlington, Va., and Bishop Paul Loverde, The Washington Post reported. The Rev. Thomas Euteneuer, former director of HLI, is not named as a defendant.
Euteneuer told the woman she was possessed by "unclean spirits" in 2008, the lawsuit says. He offered to help her and allegedly performed exorcism rituals, sometimes at the HLI campus in Front Royal, Va., west of Washington on I-66.
"He kissed the corners of her mouth; stroked her legs, breasts and thighs; caressed her face; laid his body on top of hers; and frequently explained full, passionate kisses as 'blowing the Holy Spirit into' her," the complaint says.
On one occasion, the woman charges, Euteneuer assaulted her in a hotel room during a conference after offering to pray over her.
Michael Donohue, a spokesman for the Arlington diocese, said Euteneuer was never a priest there. He said when the woman came to the diocese for help Euteneuer was reported to the diocese in Palm Beach, Fla., where he was ordained.
A spokesman for the church in Palm Beach said Euteneuer is no longer allowed to say mass or perform other duties of the priesthood, although he has not been defrocked.
