Orange County Diocese Settles Priest Abuse Cases

[TheKingfish]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-010305priests_lat,0,6980168.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[Zenlitened]

1. Hmmmm. How long until someone comes along and complains...

... that this thread is "Anti-Catholic"?

Because, you know, the self-described "faithful" are tired of hearing about the priest abuse, you know.

:eyes:

[emad]

2. BBC coverage

US diocese makes $100m abuse deal

The abuse scandals have dogged the church in the US and beyond
The Roman Catholic Church in California is to pay $100m (£53m) to the alleged victims of sexual abuse by clergy members, a US judge has announced.

The settlement, in Orange County, is the largest made by any Roman Catholic diocese in the United States.

It exceeds the payment made by Boston's diocese, where claims of abuse within the Church in America first emerged.

Bishop Tod Brown made an apology at a press conference, which was attended by some of the 87 victims.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4147431.stm

[Bridget Burke]

3. Why report abuse to the police?

Taking it to court is the only way to get real abusers off the streets--the Church closed down its dungeons some time ago.

But the courts have a way of asking awkward questions. And there's no monetary payoff.

[CoffeeCat]

4. A victim can sue a perp in civil court...

...and receive monetary damages.

These priests need to be dragged through the spotlight of the public courts, instead of hiding behind these clandestine settlements that keep everything hush hush.

These victims deserve damages for pain, suffering, therapy costs and other emotional damages.

[Sleepless In NY]

5. And they have the gall to tell us who to vote for

Was a Catholic till last year & have absolutely no regrets about leaving, especially when they started telling us who to vote for.

Could they be any more hypocritical?