SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) – Both sides in sex abuse lawsuit against former Springfield Bishop Thomas Dupre have agreed to try to settle the case out of court.

Lawyers for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield and the two men who say they were sexually abused by Dupre in the 1970s said in federal court in Springfield on Friday that they’ll try to reach an agreement within the next week.

Plaintiffs Tuan Tran and Thomas Deshaies also have a pending suit against Dupre in Hampden Superior Court. The diocese is the defendant in the federal case.

Dupre cited health reasons when he resigned in February 2004 after nine years as head of the Springfield Diocese. His resignation came a day after The Republican newspaper of Springfield confronted him with the abuse allegation.

A grand jury indicted Dupre in September 2004 on two counts of child rape.

Hampden District Attorney William Bennett announced hours later he would not pursue charges because the statute of limitations had expired.

Tran has said the abuse began when he was 12 and ended when he began dating a girl in high school.