BIDDEFORD – A Biddeford native who was sexually abused as a child by a Catholic priest has filed a court claim against Bishop Joseph Gerry seeking $700 to pay for an unusual treatment known as Jin Shin Do.

David Gagnon, who lives in Ottawa, Ontario, filed the small claims case in Portland District Court. A court date has not been scheduled.

Gagnon, 39, said he filed the claim because the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland reneged on a promise to fund his therapy. Gagnon was abused more than 20 years ago by a priest at St. Andre’s Church in Biddeford.

“I was left with no other options,” Gagnon told the Journal Tribune in a phone interview from Ottawa. “They refused to pay the bill. I can’t afford to pay that. I can’t afford groceries.”

Sue Bernard, spokeswoman for the diocese, said Gagnon wouldn’t provide information on Jin Shin Do so the church could determine if the therapy is appropriate for sexual abuse victims. Jin Shin Do is an acupressure treatment designed to relieve chronic tension, according to the Jin Shin Do Foundation.

“We said we needed more information before we could pay,” Bernard said. “For whatever reason, it seems [Gagnon] doesn’t want to be in touch with the diocese.”

Bernard said the church pays for therapy for priest sexual-abuse victims on a case-by-case basis, and is still paying for Gagnon’s regular therapy.

Gagnon first came forward with abuse claims against the Rev. Michael Doucette in 1991. He and the church reached a financial settlement in 1992.

Gagnon, who is unemployed, said the Jin Shin Do therapy has helped him in combination with his primary therapy.

In Maine, there are two licensed Jin Shin Do practitioners. One of them, Merit Bainbridge of South Portland, said it is an appropriate treatment for abuse victims, in part because it can uncover repressed memories in a gentle way.