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St. Matthews pastor resigns after a workplace sexual-assault lawsuit

Louisville, KentuckyPublished 28 Sep 2026

Archbishop Shelton Fabre accepted the Rev. David Sanchez's resignation at Our Lady of Lourdes and placed him on administrative leave. A janitor's lawsuit alleges Sanchez dismissed her report that a supervisor sexually assaulted her.

The Rev. David Sanchez resigned Sept. 23 as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in St. Matthews after a Sept. 17 lawsuit alleged he dismissed a janitor's report of sexual assault by her supervisor. Archbishop Shelton Fabre placed Sanchez on administrative leave and named the Rev. John Schwartzlose temporary administrator.

Shared facts

The Rev. David Sanchez resigned as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Archbishop Shelton Fabre accepted Sanchez's resignation.

Fabre placed Sanchez on administrative leave.

Fabre said Sanchez remains a priest in good standing and did not want to be the source of further unrest.

The Rev. John Schwartzlose was named temporary administrator.

Fabre said he hopes to appoint a new pastor in July 2027.

A janitor sued over alleged sexual assaults and the response to her report.

The lawsuit was filed Sept. 17.

The lawsuit says Garcia Gomez was hired as a janitor in April 2025.

The lawsuit alleges a supervisor sexually assaulted Garcia Gomez at work.

The lawsuit alleges the supervisor forced her into the boiler and maintenance room and raped her.

The lawsuit says Garcia Gomez reported the abuse to Sanchez in June 2025.

The lawsuit says the janitor reported the alleged abuse to Sanchez.

The lawsuit says Sanchez told Garcia Gomez he did not believe her.

The lawsuit says Sanchez said he was friends with the supervisor.

The lawsuit and her attorney say Sanchez told her not to talk about the report and tried to silence her.

The lawsuit says the supervisor left for a medical procedure.

The lawsuit says Garcia Gomez met with human resources and Sanchez in October 2025.

Human resources told Garcia Gomez to file a police report.

Garcia Gomez filed a police report in October 2025.

St. Matthews police said the case is open.

St. Matthews police said they expect to screen the case with prosecutors.

The Archdiocese of Louisville said it does not comment on pending litigation.

Shared opinions

Spalding said the case is about whether church leaders lived up to their own standards.

Spalding said the case should determine how to prevent this from happening again.

WDRB

Louisville pastor resigns after woman claimed he failed to protect her from sexual assaults

WDRB+WAVE Digital Staff

Published 23 Sep 2026 accessed 28 Sep 2026

Facts

Garcia Gomez claims the supervisor threatened her job if she reported him and said no one would believe her.

Garcia Gomez’s lawsuit and court records say her supervisor began flirting and making sexual advances in May 2025.

Gladis Garcia Gomez attended a Wednesday news conference to put her name to the suit.

The lawsuit claims Sanchez said Garcia Gomez’s family would be threatened if she pursued her claims.

The lawsuit says Matthew Johnson encouraged Garcia Gomez to file a human-resources complaint and then reported the matter himself.

The lawsuit says Garcia Gomez kept quiet after that.

The lawsuit claims Johnson told Garcia Gomez the previous janitor had dealt with the same abuse.

Court records say Garcia Gomez feared going to the closet for cleaning supplies and tried to hide from the facilities manager.

The lawsuit says Sanchez again told Garcia Gomez he did not believe her and told her to write her claims down.

The lawsuit alleges that after a protective-order hearing, the former supervisor tried to pay Garcia Gomez to stay silent.

The archdiocese said at Masses on Sept. 19-20 that the facilities manager left in mid-2025 and no longer works there.

Garcia Gomez’s lawsuit says she has faced retaliation.

Garcia Gomez claims she has not been paid for her work.

Garcia Gomez claims her hours have been cut.

Garcia Gomez’s attorney said the church did not follow the handbook’s procedures.

The former supervisor has not been criminally charged in connection with the allegations.

The Archdiocese of Louisville has a 37-page Restoring Trust handbook on how the church responds to sexual-abuse allegations.

The archdiocese, Our Lady of Lourdes, and the former supervisor had not responded in court.

Opinion

No opinion marked.

WHAS 11

Louisville pastor resigns amid sexual assault lawsuit against Catholic church

Joseph Garcia and Lina Gebhardt

Published 23 Sep 2026 accessed 28 Sep 2026

Facts

A lawsuit accuses Our Lady of Lourdes leadership and the Archdiocese of Louisville of mishandling sexual-abuse allegations.

A letter distributed by Archbishop Shelton Fabre says Sanchez resigned as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes effective Wednesday.

Fabre wrote that the past few days have been a difficult time.

Attorney John Spalding spoke for the janitor at a Wednesday press briefing.

Spalding said the janitor wanted the community to see that she stands behind the complaint.

The lawsuit says the alleged abuse stopped after the supervisor left.

A new supervisor learned about the allegations from an unknown source, and the woman was told to report them.

The woman was granted a protective order against the supervisor in December 2025.

Spalding asked people with concerns about Father Sanchez or Our Lady of Lourdes to contact him.

Other parishioners told WHAS11 they filed complaints with the archdiocese and feel unheard.

It remains unclear when the Archdiocese first became aware of the allegations.

Sanchez previously served as a priest at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Butchertown.

Opinion

Spalding hopes the allegations will be pursued criminally in addition to the civil lawsuit.

WLKY

Louisville priest resigns amid sexual assault lawsuit against Catholic church

Matthew Keck

Published 23 Sep 2026 accessed 28 Sep 2026

Facts

Spalding said Gladis Garcia’s employment was threatened after she reported the abuse.

Opinion

Awake said a person who reports abuse in a Catholic setting deserves to be heard, taken seriously, and treated with compassion.

Awake called the Our Lady of Lourdes allegations deeply troubling, including a claim that someone who sought help was dismissed and faced retaliation.

Awake said it hopes the investigation brings clarity and that it stands with survivors.

EWTN News

Pastor resigns after employee sues, saying he dismissed her report of sexual assault

Amira Abuzeid

Published 24 Sep 2026 accessed 28 Sep 2026

Facts

The lawsuit names the Archdiocese of Louisville, Our Lady of Lourdes, Sanchez, and Barahona.

The archbishop wrote to the parish on Sept. 23.

Opinion

John Spalding said it is deeply regrettable that this case exists at all.

Spalding said justice for victims requires truth, accountability, and the courage to protect people rather than institutions.