“It’s disgusting:” Las Cruces man sues diocese, alleging sexual abuse by priest
A Las Cruces man has filed a lawsuit against Our Lady of Health Parish and the Diocese of El Paso, alleging sexual abuse from a priest 40 years ago.
“No child should ever be subjected to any kind of abuse, much less, from a trusted individual who received such power within the church,” said the accuser’s lawyer, Connie Flores.
The priest named in the lawsuit is Father Joaquin Resma, who died in 1983, according to the church. The accuser is not named in the lawsuit and ABC-7’s policy is not to identify alleged victims of sexual abuse.
“I know that my client went through years of anger (and) confusion,” Flores said. “He was very distraught (and) sought other avenues that were maybe not healthy for him.”
The Catholic Diocese of El Paso is named in the lawsuit because the Diocese of Las Cruces was not established until 1982. Before then, El Paso had jurisdiction over the churches in the New Mexico counties of Doña Ana, Eddy, Grant, Hidalgo, Lea, Luna, Otero and a portion of Sierra County.
Flores told ABC-7 she takes the case very seriously, as a practicing Catholic.
“When the church that I personally have so much faith and belief in violates the trust of its parishioners,” Flores said. “I have a really hard time processing that, because it is the people that I, myself entrust and would entrust with my own children.”
The Diocese of El Paso declined to comment on the story.
Flores said her client hopes his story will encourage others to come forward. The phone number for her law firm is 575-222-1000.
