"I don't want anyone to go through what I have gone through," he said. "Words can't describe it, nothing has changed (with the church)."  When the alleged sexual abuse began, Gaughan was 14 and assigned to the post of parish sacristan -- someone who is responsible for preparing the church sanctuary for Mass, as well as cleaning up afterward -- according to the complaint.  "Phil was brave enough to come forward and put a face to the real tragedy that's been happening not only to him, but probably countless other in the Philadelphia Archdiocese," said Dan Monahan, Gaughan's attorney.  Raised Catholic, Gaughan now struggles with his faith. He does not attend Mass and will not let his son become a parish sacristan.  Gaughan kept his secret until October 2010 when he told his wife, Michelle. He confided in his parents and his large extended Irish-Catholic family. He also contacted the archdiocese's Victim Assistance Coordinator, to no avail, he said. His first conversation lasted roughly 15 minutes. During a second conversation he was referred to a doctor, he said.  "I want change. Something has to be done to protect the kids," he said.  Gillespie was a family friend for nearly 40 years, said Philip J. Gaughan, Phil's father.  "It's a shock for a parent, it challenges our faith," the senior Gaughan said. "You have to think, how didn't we know, and why didn't he tell us." At the time, he said, he and his wife were proud their son was chosen to work in the church.  The complaint comes in the wake of the Philadelphia Attorney's Office charging on February 10 three Philadelphia priests and a parochial school teacher with raping and assaulting boys in their care, while a former official with the Philadelphia Archdiocese was accused of allowing the abusive priests to have access to children, following the release of a scathing grand jury report.
A new sexual abuse lawsuit was filed Monday against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, Cardinal Justin Rigali and other archdiocese staffers on behalf of a Delaware man...