Matthew McNulty, lawyer for the diocese, the high school and its trustees, said the Utah Supreme Court ruling was consistent with the legislature's direction regarding the statute of limitations and with case law.

"The diocese has offered pastoral care consistently for Ralph and Charles Colosimo and their families, and pastoral outreach, in the past, and it will continue to do so. Every family and victim that is impacted by abuse, whether it involves a church or not, is a terrible tragedy," McNulty said. "We have a responsibility to step in and offer pastoral care to victims and their families. They will, as they have always been, in our prayers."

Larry Keller, attorney for the Colosimos, said his clients are "very distressed" over the ruling.

"Our courts have chosen to ignore their situation and allow a technicality of the law to prevent them from bringing a case in which no one questions they were abused," Keller said.

"I respect the Supreme Court and its decision, but it has allowed institutional defendants to hide behind a technicality of the law and not come to the plate and own up to their responsibility for what happened back then. That's unfair and unfortunate, but that's what the Supreme court has decided it wants the law in this state to be," Keller said.

"In 1992, our legislature recognized how important it was to toll the statute under certain circumstances, but this occurred before then, so my clients don't get the benefit of that. I would like the legislature to take this up again," Keller said.

Named in the Colosimo lawsuit were the Diocese of Salt Lake (which encompasses the entire state); Judge Memorial High School and its financial trustees; the Archdiocese of San Francisco (of which the Salt Lake diocese is part); and Oblates of St. Francis (the religious order that ordained Rapp).

---

E-mail: lindat@desnews.com