Cardinal, bishops sued by former Arlington Catholic students over alleged sex abuse by administrator

Three people who say they were sexually abused by a former Arlington Catholic High School administrator filed a lawsuit this week against the leader of the Archdiocese of Boston and two bishops. The plaintiffs, who were not named in the complaint, allege that the church leaders “knew, or were negligent in not knowing” about the abuse. 

Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley, who heads the Archdiocese of Boston, current leader of the Diocese of Portland, Maine Bishop Robert Deeley, and Bishop Peter Uglietto are all named as defendants. 

The alleged sexual abuse took place at Arlington Catholic High School from about 2011 to 2016 while the victims were between the ages of 15 and 17,  attorney Mitchell Garabedian said in a statement. 

The complaint details how Steven Biagioni allegedly abused the victims while working as the school’s vice principal. Biagioni is not a named defendant. He left the school in 2016.

“Significantly, given that years of the alleged sexual abuse are recent, it is apparent that the Archdiocese of Boston and the Catholic Church are still allowing the sexual abuse of innocent children,” Garabedian said in a statement. “The cracks in the moral foundation of the Archdiocese of Boston are widespread.”

While serving detentions overseen by Biagioni, the three former students were forced to wrestle with him, according to the complaint. Biagioni allegedly sexually assaulted them during these instances. 

Last year, another person who attended Arlington Catholic sued two former priests in the Archdiocese of Boston who were responsible in part for hiring and supervising Biagioni, according to the complaint. 

Biagioni’s alleged abuse is currently being investigated by the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, Garabedian told WBUR. 

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Boston told the station that, in 2016, allegations relating to this matter were brought to the attention of the school and reported to law enforcement authorities. The archdiocese has cooperated fully with investigators, the spokesman told WBUR.