Seattle diocese settles sex abuse claims

SEATTLE – The Seattle Roman Catholic Archdiocese has settled two lawsuits that alleged sexual abuse or inappropriate conduct by priests.

The Seattle Times said one case involves a Pierce County woman who says she was abused in the mid-1970s when she was a nun and sought counseling from Monsignor John Doogan, then chancellor for the archdiocese. Doogan died in 2003.

In the other, a King County man contends the Rev. Jeffrey Sarkies engaged in inappropriate sexual activity with him starting in 2004. Sarkies resigned as pastor of a Seattle parish in 2006. The archdiocese said at the time he had violated professional ethics. Sarkies denies the allegation.

The Times said the amounts of the recent settlements have not been disclosed.