We can expect a new wave of lawsuits against the Church in California. The governor just signed a a law that gives people one year to sue for sex abuse in cases where the statute of limitations has expired. I don’t begrudge the victims their day in court, but this is really going to hurt Catholics in California, because they’re the ones who actually bear the cost of lawsuits, not bishops.
I expect we’re going to see that Tucson and Portland won’t be the only dioceses filing for bankruptcy.
[Thanks to Wayne for the link.]
“…this is really going to hurt Catholics in California…”
Yes it will. What are we to conclude from these disastrous lawsuits and bankruptcy filings?
Would be interesting if concerned parties started taking out ads educating folks that were abused in public schools and/or had sexual relations under the age of 18 with Hollywood and rock stars/studio chiefs, to go contact their lawyers. How many major studios knew but did nothing about their stars co-horting with underage minors? How many major studios with deep pockets had exec’s who promised fame for sexual favors?
There are a lot more people who have been abused outside of the Church who will now have a chance to be compensated too. Public school systems have been just as bad about hiding abusers and enabling them to move on somewhere else.
Yes, it will hurt Catholics in California. But on the other hand, it might teach them to stop giving their bishops the room to be who they have become.
We have a right to expect our churchmen to act like Christians. Is that too much to expect? IF so, one has to ask: what are we running here?
When they cost us, they need to:
1) hear about it loud and clear.
2) have their allowances cut off til they behave in a Christian manner.
3) stop believing that we will adulate over them no matter what kind of graft, crime, dissent and corruption they get into.
Your bishop has work to do. He is supposed to be a servant of the Roman Catholic Church and have her good in mind. Everyone seems to have lost sight of that.