A Central Michigan University student has filed a lawsuit regarding a
sexual relationship she says she had with a now-former priest from the
parish serving the school.
Megan Winans, through her Lansing attorney James Heos, filed the
lawsuit in January in Isabella County Circuit Court, alleging the Rev.
Denis Heames asked her to keep their sexual relationship a secret.
Winans is a senior at CMU, according to CM Life, the student newspaper at CMU.
Heames, 43, served as parochial administrator for St. Mary University Parish in Mount Pleasant until July, when he first was placed on administrative leave and then removed from his position for what the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw called "boundary violations."
The diocese has stated the "boundary violations" were not of an
illegal nature, though no additional details about the incident or
incidents that led to the decision regarding Heames were released.
On this point,
SNAP makes an excellent statement, "Many know about child molesting Catholic clerics. But few realize
priests abusing vulnerable adults is as or more widespread but still
deeply hidden. It’s always wrong and hurtful for doctors to have sex
with patients, therapists to have sex with clients and ministers to have
sex with congregants. That’s especially true in Catholicism, where
parishioners are taught, from birth, to respect and trust priests as
holy celibate men who can forgive sins and get them into heaven,,, So let no one be misled: this was NOT an “affair.” It was shrewd,
subtle, selfish manipulation by a highly educated, cunning predator who
took advantage of the prestige afforded by the Roman collar to satisfy
himself and exploit a trusting young woman."
The lawsuit alleges Heames used a counseling relationship he
established with Winans to initiate a sexual relationship with her. Once
that began, Heames hired Winans as a "media intern" at the church, the
lawsuit states.
The lawsuit alleges Heames "justified his sexual relationship (with
Winans) by explaining it through religious and spiritual means."
"Heames continued to abuse his position by maintaining a sexual
relationship with (Winans) for nearly two years, asking her to keep
their relationship secret," the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit states the relationship between Heames and Winans ended
in August 2014. At that time, Heames "revoked (Winans') position as
media intern," the lawsuit states.
CMU student's lawsuit against former Catholic priest alleges sexual relationship | MLive.com
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