Posted on 11/26/2008 10:41:30 AM PST by NYer
On Monday, in what's being described as a "landmark" ruling, a Federal appeals court green-lighted a sex-abuse suit naming the Holy See among its plaintiffs:
[The] ruling, issued by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, marks the first time a court at so high a level has recognized that the Vatican could be liable for the negligence in sexual-abuse cases brought in the U.S.PHOTO: Reuters
The ruling is seen as a breakthrough by those allegedly abused by priests. Investigators and grand juries have found several instances where the church failed to report alleged abusers and covered up alleged misdeeds to protect them.
Jeffrey S. Lena, the attorney for the Holy See, said he was not "presently inclined" to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the decision.
It remains to be seen whether the Vatican, which is a sovereign state recognized by the U.S. government, will make further arguments that it is immune from U.S. civil proceeding.
Catholic dioceses in the U.S. have paid out at least $1.5 billion to alleged abuse victims, most of this since the scandal broke open nationwide in 2002.
The appeals court found that the church government may be held liable for actions taken in the U.S. based on the Vatican's policies or directives.
"What the court has allowed us to do is proceed against the Vatican for the conduct of the U.S. bishops because of the bishops' failure to ... report child abuse," said William F. McMurry, the attorney for three men who claim they were abused as children by priests in the Louisville, Ky., archdiocese. He is seeking class-action status in the district-court case.
The ruling marks the first time that a federal appeals court recognized that the Vatican could be liable under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, a 1976 law that governs when a foreign nation or its agents can be sued, said Marci Hamilton, a constitutional-law scholar who is part of the legal team in the Louisville case.
"If someone can crack that barrier of immunity, it opens the door to other claims against the Catholic church," says Jonathan Levy, a Washington, D.C., attorney who represents concentration-camp survivors in a suit against numerous parties including the Vatican bank. The Vatican, in that case, prevailed in its claim of sovereign immunity.
Mr. Lena, the lawyer for the Holy See in the Louisville case, said Monday's ruling is a small step and one that is far from establishing whether Vatican policy contributed to thousands of incidents of abuse that have been alleged over several decades. "We're miles away from liability," he said. The ruling is "very incremental."
Pentacostal. Read the next one.
(I only play a poster on FR. I’m really a shrink.)
nonsense...how do you think the Catholic Church evolved to this point....with lots of trial and error and lots of discussion....you don’t see pictures of Jesus in fancy robes...and you wouldn’t have seen Jesus hide pedophiles...get a clue.
***Jesus gave you responsibility for your church...get on it!***
You said to Trisham: “YOUR Church.” Not “MY church,” not “OUR Church.” You said “YOUR.” You are not a Catholic and you are posting on a Caucus thread.
Pelosi, Biden, Kennedy, Dodd, Daschle, Kmiec, Kissling, et al, say that too.
Where? When?
“And the priests prostrated themselves before the altar in their priests’ vestments, and called upon Him from heaven, who made the law concerning things given to be kept, that He would preserve them safe, for them that had deposited them.” 2 Machabees 3:15
“Hey! we have a heratic here...let’s burn them !”
Hardley Christian/Catholic/Jesus like....
But if you don’t want to challenge people that hid pedophiiles...which is what this posting was about....that’s your call.
Enjoy your bliss.
I haven't said one word about the pedophile scandal, yet you attack me on it, just because I side with the Church in other matters. Did you ever care to ask me what I thought?
You are more dangerous than those who actively persecute them from outside. I respect them more, because at least they know where they truly belong.
Happy. The Church does not exist to make the world a better place.
The Church is not a self-fulfillment project.
The Church is not a historical reenactment.
The Church is not a club for redemption through self-improvement.
The Church is not a representative democracy.
You are having a heck of a day, but if you don’t shut up soon you’ll make yourself a laughing stock.
Nope...don’t really care what you think....I have no use for the kind of people that let pedophiles take over our Church.
They were just like you...they refused to challenge “authority”....
Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it and quit bothering me.
If you don’t like my posts. Don’t read them.
No.
This thread is about challenging people ACCUSED of hiding pedophiles and/or pederasts. You are presuming their guilt.
Didn't happen in the Catholic Church. Perhaps in your church, but not the Catholic Church.
well...I think you just did that for yourself...”the Church doesn’t exist to make the world a better place”...you know...I think the Pope might disagree with you on that one.
This thread was about pedophile priests that no-one challenged...and that lack of thinking....hurt thousands of kids and their families...enjoy your blind bliss.
Bzzzt. Assuming facts not in evidence.
wow...you DO have your head in the sand...good luck with THAT
And no, I won't quit "bothering you." I will resist you! This is the Church Militant! If you don't want to hear it, feel free to not respond.
Who was the pedophile in charge of the Catholic Church? John Paul the Great? Benedict XVI? Paul VI? Which one?
You’re the one who has his head in the sand, wanting to ignore the reality that you have, by your own “thinking,” have wandered away and left the Catholic Church already.
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