Sexual abuse hits Church finances: Even the Vatican is now being sued

BBC News Online ^ | Thursday, 11 April, 2002, 14:36 GMT 15:36 UK | Peter Gould

[history_matters]

H_M's caveat:

"America" is a liberal rag serving people who are Catholic in name only. Fr. Thomas Reese is a pro-deviancy spokesperson.

[history_matters]

Indexing

[history_matters]

bump

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Another sad chapter. They should have thought about this long ago when the first allegations were reported. I read an article which said the Archdiocese of Boston may have to sell property to fund these settlements. There's an irony here. All these liberal kooks and Liberation Theology nuts for years had been moaning about how the Church needed to get more in touch with poverty. Odd that lawsuits over aggravated sodomy would be the way back to the catacombs.

[maryz]

The amounts were often kept secret at the insistence of the insurance companies, who preferred to settle out of court because legal fees could amount to $500,000 per case.

I don't see why the insurers should have had to pay anything after the first offense per individual. I also don't see why the insurers didn't lean on the archdiocese and say, "Keep this one away from kids -- we're not paying for him again."

Insurers aren't the list bit shy about insisting that ordinary policyholders minimize risk.

[maryz]

Sorry - that should be "least bit shy"

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

I have a suggestion...that they shut down the faculty and residential dining halls at Jesuit colleges and universities (especially the stock of alcoholic beverages)until all homosexuals are removed from active ministry. That should speed things up a bit. Also...there should NOT be any catered dining at the upcoming Dallas conference of the U.S. bishops. No more catered dining for the hierarchy until the chanceries are out of debt. Law could use the weight reduction anyway.

[PLK]

The estimate is quoted by the leading Catholic magazine America,

"Leading?" The only thing America mag is leading is a left wing effort to destroy the Church from within. The Jesuits are part of the problem it seems, not the solution.

[07055]

Insurers aren't the list bit shy about insisting that ordinary policyholders minimize risk.

That's a very good point. I do dog rescue in my spare time and we often have to deal with insurance companies who cancel homeowners insurance because of dog bites. They have threatened to cancel even where a stranger was bitten when, without permission, he climbed a fence into someone's back yard. (Seems to me the dog should have received a medal rather than a reprimand).

Yet, when it came to rapist priests, the insurance people seemed to look the other way and continued coverage. I don't have a heck of lot of sympathy for the insurance companies if that is what happened.

[VOA]

Sexual abuse hits Church finances: Even the Vatican is now being sued

I guess some trial lawyers and personal injury lawyers finally read a peppery bit of
Mark Twain's called "Why Don't They Rob Their Churches?". (It was his observation
on the opulence of the churche buildings in Italy, compared to the wide-spread poverty.)

There surely are some bad priests and corrupt supervisors who need punishment.
Too bad that many good folks will be made to suffer to pay court costs and damages.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

A little ironic that it may end up being "insurance" experts who will motivate the church to enforce its sexual teachings.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Is Reese a homo, by the way?

[Domestic Church]

"No more catered dining for the hierarchy until the chanceries are out of debt. Law could use the weight reduction anyway."

ROFLOL! The Church really could use a hefty dose of asceticism in the dioceses. The lack of self denial is a large problem in secular society too.

[ppaul]

[sinkspur]

"Lesbian Nuns: Breaking Silence," Rosemary Curb (Editor) Nancy Manahan (Editor) -- is a pretty good indication that there is a whole population of young girls who have also been abused but either haven't come forward or simply aren't getting the press.

How extensive is abuse of teenage girls and children by lesbians? Anybody know?

Personally, I think you're making stuff up. There is no evidence that there is any kind of problem with "lesbian nuns" and girls in their charge. Just how extensive is female rape?

However I have known a lot of girls who told me that nuns used to take them aside and talk about how wearing "indecent" underwear would "lead boys on" and the nuns seemed keen to talk about what kind of underwear the girls owned and wore...)

You mean like the Vice-Principal in a public school out in California who just last week was checking for thong underwear?

There are prudish busybodies in all professions, the Catholic sisterhood has had and will continue to have its share. But to act as if there's some looming abuse problem among nuns is just ludicrous.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Unfortunately, I've had some personal and professional exposure to ecclesiastical financial shenanigans. If any church property needs to be sold, I suggest they start with any luxury autos in current use by clerical officials. The wine and liquor cabinets in clerical dining facilities should be next. Along with the Jesuit summer house in Cape May, NJ. And no more trips to Europe for clergy, unless they are one-way tickets to Rome.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

If any church property needs to be sold, I suggest they start with any luxury autos in current use by clerical officials. The wine and liquor cabinets in clerical dining facilities should be next. Along with the Jesuit summer house in Cape May, NJ. And no more trips to Europe for clergy, unless they are one-way tickets to Rome.

Is there also one in Ocean City, NJ?

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

That wouldn't be that surprising. I'm trying to picture any priest tanning on a beach while church property is auctioned off for sodomy settlements.