Diocese of Orlando faces 3 new lawsuits over alleged clergy abuse

3 men sue Diocese of Orlando over alleged clergy abuse

The Diocese of Orlando is facing three new lawsuits from men who allege they were sexually abused by Catholic priests as children.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Diocese of Orlando is facing three new lawsuits from men who allege they were sexually abused by Catholic priests as children. 

What we know:

A man is suing the Diocese of Orlando for $25 million and demanding a trial by jury after allegations of a pastor sexually abusing him and potentially others "for years."  Now, three new lawsuits have been filed against the diocese, two of which named Father Bob Hoeffner, a priest who was already accused of similar abuse by others and was shot and killed last year by one of his accusers. 

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Another lawsuit names George Zina, a former church worker in the Dr. Phillips area during the 2000s. The allegations include abuse at multiple churches and inside Zina’s personal vehicle.

What we don't know:

The Diocese has not yet issued a public response to the latest lawsuits. It is also unclear whether any additional victims may come forward or whether criminal investigations will accompany the civil cases.

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 Information regarding what church leadership knew at the time of the alleged abuse — and how they responded — has yet to be fully detailed.

The backstory:

Father Bob Hoeffner had long been a controversial figure within the diocese, previously named in abuse claims. His death last year at the hands of an accuser drew national attention. George Zina’s name had not surfaced publicly before this latest legal filing.

Father Bob Hoeffner

In a civil lawsuit, filed earlier this year, a man is claiming that Hoeffner sexually abused him and potentially others "for years." The lawsuit also alleges that the church, school, parish and diocese did nothing to stop it, even "commit[ing] willful acts of disregard and concealing" it. 

The alleged victim who filed the lawsuit, 26-year-old Shawn Teuber, said "Father Bob" started grooming him when he was in the seventh grade at St. Joseph Catholic School in Palm Bay, which is operated by the Diocese of Orlando.

The lawsuit claims that between 2012 and 2014, Father Bob would pull Teuber out of class, lunchtime and school events to be alone with him, and that he abused the young boy while at school, in his car and at his home.

The lawsuit also says that a student reported concerns about Father Bob’s relationship with the alleged victim and with other male students during that time, but the warning went unheeded.

Big picture view:

These lawsuits come as the Catholic Church struggles with mishandled abuse allegations spanning decades. The claims in Orlando add to a growing list of dioceses under legal and public pressure to acknowledge past failures and ensure transparency and justice for survivors. For local parishioners, the new accusations may renew trauma and further erode trust in church leadership.