US Jesuits agree $166 million abuse payout: Lawyers

The Times of India ^ | Mar 26, 2011 | The Times of India

[moonshinner_09]

SEATTLE: A US Jesuit order has agreed to pay $166.1 million to compensate nearly 500 victims of decades-long "horrific" sexual and psychological abuse by priests in five US states, lawyers said on Friday.

The US Northwest chapter of the Rome-based Society of Jesus agreed to the payout -- which lawyers said is the biggest by a religious organization in the United States -- as part of bankruptcy proceedings. "I feel that nothing can compensate for the loss of being whole and being allowed to be a child and growing up in a healthy environment," she told the Oregonian newspaper.

"But this will start us and continue to help us on our path to healing," she added.

Katherine Mendez, 53, told how she was abused by Father John Morse, a Jesuit priest, when she entered the St. Mary's Mission boarding school in Omak, Washington state aged 11.

"Father Morse started abusing me almost immediately when I arrived at St. Mary's Mission," a lawyers' statement quoted her as saying. "I kept the sexual molestation hidden in the dark, in my soul, for years and years.

Most of those abused by priests from the Oregon Province -- the Jesuit order which covers the states of Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Montana -- were Native Americans at mission schools on Indian reservations.

"This settlement recognizes that the Jesuits betrayed the trust of hundreds of young children in their care, and inflicted terrible atrocities upon them," said lawyer Blaine Tamaki.

"These religious figures should have been responsible for protecting children, but instead raped and molested them," he added.

Victims of the abuse by the Catholic-following order have been watching the case closely, including Clarita Vargas, who said the announcement marked "a day of reckoning and justice."

[Salvation]

 

Jesus. High Priest

 

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem.  He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

[FlingWingFlyer]

When are the “molester” shysters going to turn their attention to the public schools? Haven’t they milked the Catholic church out of enough money yet?

[doc1019]

Good point, but they must get all the perverts out of the church first.

[the invisib1e hand]

"But this will start us and continue to help us on our path to healing," she added.

yeah, I'll bet it will.

[the invisib1e hand]

When are the “molester” shysters going to turn their attention to the public schools?

the state allows, permits, enables, sanctions the legal profession. It is unthinkable that it would do such a thing.

when the fog clears, you'll notice that you're in enemy territory, and surrounded.

[43north]

I should sue the Catholic Church for neglect!

I was a student in Catholic schools for a total of 18 years and was never molested. / SARC

I hope there is a special place in Hell for the priests who engaged in these abominations!

[hinckley buzzard]

You have to realize--the Jesuits are not your ordinary perverts and apostates. They are a class of asshole unto themselves and deserve to be sued into oblivion.

[savagesusie]

Actually, they have to attack the elephant in the closet: HOMOSEXUALITY.

The Catholic Church should come out loudly and use that word EVERY time the MEDIA brings up the abuse. The Church has buckled under to political correctness in trying to treat homosexuals as if the condition was not the intrinsic disorder and evil that that behavior truly is. Sex Ed is used to sexualize children and remove morality from the sex act. That is what homosexuality is....no sexual morality. Any boy could be taught to love the behavior if the conditioning is early during their sexual identity formation.

It is a grievous sin—an abomination— and they refuse to condemn it to the degree that it should be condemned. They can NOT put boys with these homosexual men. Pederasty has always been intrinsically connected to homosexuality.

All ancient homosexual societies embraced pederasty. It is like the society in Afghanistan today. It is UGLY!!! and women are hated. This homosexualization of our culture is going to become uglier if it is not challenged. Children are being indoctrinated into the “lifestyle” in the public schools. It is learned behavior.

Instead, the Church tiptoes around the word—I NEVER hear it when it is the case that over 95% of the abuse is boys.

That is the big homosexual lie....that they do not abuse children at such a much higher rate than heterosexuals. That information is well documented and the church needs to announce it to the world. Plus the fact that the behavior is learned through emotional/physical abuse. Educate the parents in what causes the perversion of their nature.

Homosexuals have fascist control over the media and schools to hide the truth. The Church is able to do educate people. Don’t be afraid of looking mean because the media is out to destroy you, anyway. You should know the Truth will set you free.

[Colofornian]

Well, let's see. Of all the Catholic orders, the Jesuits have been the most vociferous anti-Protestants thru the centuries.

Some of them apparently went from just being anti-Protestant to anti-child.

[Judges Gone Wild]

Judgment starts with the house of God.

[bigheadfred]

Bankruptcy, huh?

Can’t afford those malpractice insurance premiums anymore?

Good thing they had it though.

Don’t know where they would come up with that kind of money.

[Judges Gone Wild]

It is interesting that while there are criminal cases brought against public teachers who molest children, there are no civil suits brought that I have heard.

[FlingWingFlyer]

It is strange isn’t it?

[Judges Gone Wild]

You have to realize—the Jesuits are not your ordinary perverts and apostates. They are a class of asshole unto themselves and deserve to be sued into oblivion.

The Jesuits gave me a fine high school education, and the best years of my youth. Our principal was, (and is), a prince of a man.

[SuziQ]

Sadly, in the last 50 years, too many Jesuits seem to have become vociferous anti-CATHOLICS.

[circlecity]

"I hope there is a special place in Hell for the priests who engaged in these abominations!"

And that special place probably needs a annex about now because it has go to be bulging at the seems.

[TheDingoAteMyBaby]

It’s not just homosexual predators:

“Katherine Mendez, 53, told how she was abused by Father John Morse, a Jesuit priest, when she entered the St. Mary’s Mission boarding school in Omak, Washington state aged 11.”

[savagesusie]

95 percent of the victims are boys. When you adjust for homosexual priests to heterosexual priests the numbers are staggering. Homosexuals abuse numbers far exceed the numbers of heterosexual’s. .

Just watched Great Courses on Ancient Greek Civilization. Seems like pederasty was normal and expected and misogyny was normal and extreme....just like in the Homosexual Afghanistan culture where young boys are routinely sodomized. It is a learned behavior. Since it is learned as boys....they are attracted to boys when they grow up.

Homosexuals always have an abnormal attraction to youth and perfection of the male body....like in ancient Greece. Idolatry and narcissism...the church is right....it is an intrinsic disorder. The Church has to reject homosexuals.

[RnMomof7]

How many of these men have been excommunicated and are currently in jail?

Payoffs by the church is not “punishment” for the offenders