ERIE, PA. Defamation lawsuit filed against diocese

One woman said a priest was having pornography delivered to the office.
ERIE, Pa. (AP) -- Three women have filed a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, alleging they were defamed from the pulpit and in a church letter because of their complaints about a priest's behavior.
The suit is the first against the Erie diocese that has some relation to sex scandals at churches nationwide.
Sally Beres, who was a secretary for former priest Robert F. Bower, said she was fired two days after she told church officials that Bower was having gay pornography delivered to the office.
Beres, Ann Caro and Helen Rusnak, all of Erie County, said church officials began a defamation campaign against them when they complained to former Bishop Michael Murphy, who preceded the current bishop.
Bower left the priesthood last year when the Erie Times-News reported that he had been arrested for possession of child pornography. Those charges were dropped, prosecutors said, because police mishandled evidence and it could not be used at trial.
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, the women claim that Bishop Donald Trautman, who replaced Murphy, directed some priests to sermonize against them from the pulpit.
Trautman also characterized the women as liars in a letter he released to the public last year, the civil suit claims.
The bishops and the diocese "had an interest in protecting the public image of the Diocese of Erie and discrediting the women," according to the suit.
Church officials said they would not comment on the suit until it has been reviewed.
It was unknown how long it would take for the diocese to review the suit, said spokesman Gary Loncki.
The women are seeking at least $50,000 each in damages.
The church has 20 days to respond to the suit.