CHURCH RESTORED..congregation apologizes to victim

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After a seven year legal battle a Duluth man has reached a settlement with the church congregation whose pastor sexually abused him as a child. David Samarzia has accepted an apology from Duluth's Redeemer Lutheran Church congregation, which was on the brink of dissolving as a result of the dispute. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports from Duluth: This coming Sunday the parishioners at Redeemer Lutheran Church will sign a statement saying they are partly responsible for the abuse and molestation of Samarzia committed by the church's former pastor, Daniel Reeb. Their statement says it is "understandable and reasonable" that church authorities should have known what was happening. Samarzia says he has been seeking that apology since filing a lawsuit against the church and Reeb in 1991.

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