| Saturday, June 11, 2005 |
| SEX ABUSE COSTS U.S. CATHOLIC CHURCH MORE THAN US$1 BILLION |
The cost to the U.S. Roman Catholic Church of sexual predators in the priesthood has climbed past US$1 billion.
And the figure is guranteed to rise, probably by tens of millions of dollars, probably because hundreds more claims are pending.
Dioceses around the country have spent at least US$1.06 billion on settlements with victims, verdicts, legal fees, counseling and other expenses since 1950. A US$120 million compensation fund announced last week by the Diocese of Covington, Ky., pushed the figure past the billion-dollar mark.
A large share of the costs -- at least US$378 million -- has been incurred in just the past three years, when the crisis erupted in the Boston archdiocese and spread nationwide.
The Rev. Thomas Doyle, who left the church to represent the victims, warned the bishops in 1985 that abuse costs could exceed US$1 billion. "Nobody believed us", said Doyle, a cannon lawyer. "I remember one archbishop telling me, "My feeling about this, Tom, is no one's ever going to sue the Catholic Church."
Asked about the figure, a spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Monsignor Francis Maniscalco, said church leaders believe the payouts "should be just to all sides". He said victims deserve compensation, but the church must also have enough money to continue serving parishoners.
(CHICSUNTIMES/Associated Press by: Rachel Zoll) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 1:18 PM |
|
|
|
|
| About Me |
|
Name: infraternam meam
Home: Chicago, United States
About Me: I am now at the prime of my life
and have been married for the past 25 years.
Sickly at times, but wants to see the elixir vita,
so that I will be able to see my grandchildren from my two boys.
See my complete profile
|
| Previous Post |
|
| Archives |
|
| Links |
|
|
| Powered by |
|
|
