NY's Cardinal Dolan questioned on Wis. abuse cases

Associated Press ^ | Thu, Feb 21, 2013 | RACHEL ZOLL

[haffast]

New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, just days ahead of his departure for Rome and the conclave that will elect the next pope, has been deposed about clergy sex abuse in his former Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Dolan, who led Milwaukee's Roman Catholics from 2002 to 2009, answered questions Wednesday about his decision to publicize names of clergy members who had been accused of molesting children in cases that are mostly decades old, church attorney Frank LoCoco said.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, an independent network of abuse victims and their supporters, said it would press to make the transcript of Dolan's testimony public.

The deposition is part of a bankruptcy case filed in 2011 by Dolan's Wisconsin successor, Archbishop Jerome Listecki, over abuse claims by nearly 500 people. Many Milwaukee church officials, including another former archbishop, Rembert Weakland, have been deposed.

Dolan had long awaited the chance to answer the attorneys' questions, Archdiocese of New York spokesman Joseph Zwilling said.

snip

Milwaukee is the eighth diocese in the U.S. to seek bankruptcy protection over abuse claims. Advocates for victims have accused Milwaukee church officials of trying to shield its assets, in part by transferring millions of dollars several years ago into a cemetery trust fund and a parish fund.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee recently said it was going broke. Its legal and other fees have reached nearly $9 million, according to court filings. But attorneys for victims say church officials are responsible for the prolonged legal battle.

LoCoco said that the abuse children had suffered was awful and that Dolan recognized this and took extensive steps to help the victims, including publicizing the names of accused clergy members so people would come forward and begin a healing process.

snap

[haffast]

Peter Isely, Midwest director of the Survivors' Network, contended that Dolan "did a lot of creative maneuvering of priest sex offenders and creative accounting of church money" without holding accountable archdiocesan officials who failed to stop abusers.

[CondorFlight]

As a matter of public policy, it’s absurd to permit lawsuits against charities; the general public is the loser, and the loss is greater than the “benefit” to a few attorneys and their clients.

Lawsuits shouldn’t be allowed to bankrupt charitable institutions.

If there was wrongdoing, imprison the wrongdoers.

But don’t punish the entire public in order, while only enriching a few.

[mosesdapoet]

The Archbishop, Wheatland, a suspected homo-sexual was removed. No mention of him or his removal in that AP story by Rachel Zoll.

[sgtyork]

No. Archbishop Weakland is more than suspected. He embezzeled $ 450 grand from the diocese to hush his homosexual paramour.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembert_Weakland

[mosesdapoet]

In the News/Activism forum, on a thread titled NY’s Cardinal Dolan questioned on Wis. abuse cases, sgtyork wrote:
No. Archbishop Weakland is more than suspected. He embezzeled $ 450 grand from the diocese to hush his homosexual paramour.

Thanks for the correct spelling of his name and for that contribution. This is another AP hit piece on Catholics and Christians generally