San Bernardino diocese settles 2 abuse suits for $3.8M

A Southern California diocese has paid $3.8 million to settle two child-abuse lawsuits brought against a former Catholic priest.

The Diocese of San Bernardino which serves about 1.6 million Catholics across San Bernardino and Riverside counties including the Coachella Valley announced Sunday that payments settling the two civil cases involving Alejandro Castillo came from a combination of insurance and diocese funds.

The Sun newspaper reports parishioners were told during mass at each of the several San Bernardino County churches where Castillo served since the 1980s. He most recently served at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Ontario.

Castillo, now age 60 and recently defrocked, served eight months in jail after pleading guilty to lewd and lascivious acts involving a 12-year-old boy.

The newspaper says a third lawsuit is still being litigated.