A 29-year-old man has filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Allentown and two bishops, saying he was abused by a priest who was a known pedophile.

The alleged abuse took place at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Nesquehoning between 1999-2001, while the victim was 10-12 years old and working as an altar boy.

It is reportedly the first suit to be filed based on information from the grand jury report into priest abuse around the state, which was released in August.

The suit alleges that the Diocese of Allentown allowed priest Bruno Tucci to work at a parish in Nesquehoning, where he abused the victim, even though they knew that he had been accused of, and admitted to, abusing another child eight years before.

In a statement, the diocese said it removed Tucci from the ministry in 2002, and the current bishop has acted immediately on all allegations of abuse.

“Abuse is abhorrent and has no place in the church. Bishop Schlert has apologized to victims and has set a clear tone of zero tolerance, and of keeping children safe,” the diocese’s statement read.

The diocese also said it recently created a compensation and reconciliation for victims and survivors of past abuse.

“Although compensation alone cannot repair the damage caused to those who were harmed, this program will meaningfully assist in recovery and healing for victims and survivors and their families,” the statement said.

Similar lawsuits filed nationwide following revelations of priest abuse have resulted in dioceses around the country paying out more than $3 billion in settlements, and forced at least 19 dioceses and religious orders to file for bankruptcy.

The victim, whose attorneys have identified only as “John Doe,” claims the priest, Bruno Tucci sexually assaulted him between 1999-2001. Tucci was working at two parishes in Nesquehoning at the time including Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which the victim attended.

Tucci was removed from service in 2002 following national headlines about priest abuse in the Archdiocese of Boston. He officially retired as a priest in 2007.

According to court documents, Tucci allegedly abused the victim on multiple occasions between 1999-2001. The suit describes one case where he was alone with the victim, instructed the boy to “put his arms out like Jesus on the cross,” then unbuttoned the boy’s pants and fondled his genitals.

The suit alleges that in 1991, several years before the alleged abuse, another victim complained to the diocese that he had been abused by Tucci. However, diocese officials never reported either claim to police.

The suit claims that because of the victim’s age at the time of the abuse, and his Catholic upbringing, he did not make any report to authorities. However in the ensuing years the victim reportedly suffered from mental health issues, drug abuse and alcoholism as a result of the abuse.

The lawsuit was filed in Lehigh County Court, where the diocese is headquartered, and asks for unspecified damages.

Named in the suit are Bishop of Allentown Alfred Schlert, former Bishop of Allentown Edward G. Cullen, a nonprofit which operated a facility where Tucci was treated after he admitted to sexually assaulting a boy in 1991, and Tucci himself.

The suit alleges that Cullen and Schlert, who was Cullen’s chief assistant at the time, allegedly showed negligence when they allowed Tucci to return to work after he admitted in 1991 that he had sexually abused another boy.

In addition, the suit claims Cullen and Schlert were negligent when they failed to report criminal activity, including child abuse. They also allegedly assigned priests known to be pedophiles, including Tucci, to have regular contact with children.

The suit accuses the diocese itself of fraudulently concealing the identity of Tucci and other priests who were accused of sexual abuse while working in the Diocese of Allentown.

Cullen retired in 2009. Schlert is now Bishop of Allentown.

The suit goes on to allege assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress by Tucci and the diocese, because Tucci was working as a representative of the diocese at the time.

It also accuses the Congregation of Sacred Paraclete, which operated a facility where Tucci was sent for rehabilitation following the 1991 allegations.

The diocese has 30 days to respond to the complaint in court.