FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE – FROM THE OFFICES OF MITCHELL A. TOUPS, LTD.

A national class action lawsuit was filed on November 13, 2018, in the U.S. District Court
for the District of Columbia, against the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and
HOLY SEE, in its Capacity as a Foreign State (State of the Vatican City), and in its Capacity
as an Unincorporated Association and Head of an International Religious Organization,
on behalf of six individuals (class representatives) who were victims of the endemic,
systemic, rampant and pervasive rape and sexual abuse perpetrated by Roman Catholic
Church cardinals, bishops, monsignors, priests, sisters, lay leaders, members of Catholic
religious orders, educators, and other personnel, members, agents and representatives
while serving in active ministry—with the knowledge of the Defendants. The allegations
in the complaint are that rather than safeguarding and protecting the Class Members—
most of whom were minor children at the time—Defendants protected the abusive Clergy,
took extraordinary measures to conceal their wrongful conduct, moved them from parish
to parish, without warning church members or the general public, thereby further
facilitating their predatory practices, failed and refused to report the abusive Clergy to
law enforcement or other responsible authorities as required by law in every state, and—
incredibly—in some instances, even promoted the abusive Clergy. Defendants’ wrongful
acts are ongoing and continuous.

The lawsuit was filed by Mitchell A. Toups of Weller, Green, Toups & Terrell, L.L.P.;
Richard L. Coffman, of The Coffman Law Firm (both of Beaumont, Texas), and Joe R.
Whatley, Jr., and Henry C. Quillen of Whatley Kallas, LLP, of New York City. Toups,
Coffman, Whatley and Kallas have handled major class action lawsuits for victims
throughout the United States over the last 25 years.

Toups, Coffman, Whatley & Quillen believe that the cover-up by the Catholic Church
resulted in the abuse continuing and becoming an endemic, systemic, rampant and
pervasive issue causing harm to tens of thousands of victims throughout the United
States. Toups, Coffman, Whatley & Quillen believe that the acts of the local clergy in the
United States fall under the responsibility of the Conference of Catholic Bishops and the
Holy See, per the “Command Responsibility Doctrine” as well as other legal theories.
Toups, Coffman, Whatley & Quillen are happy to consult with any other individuals who
were victims of abuse, who are interested in joining the class action lawsuit that they
filed today. Toups can be reached at (409) 951-2351.