Deal could be near between archdiocese, sex abuse victims

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | 9/24/2012 | Annysa Johnson

[Dr. Thorne]

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee and victims of sex abuse by priests and others in authority have extended their court-ordered mediation into next week, prompting speculation that one of the Catholic Church's largest bankruptcies could be nearing a close.

Lawyers for both sides met for another session Monday with the mediator, retired U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Randall J. Newsome of San Francisco, in hopes of hammering out a settlement that would compensate victims and allow the archdiocese to continue its mission.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Wisconsin Catholic ping: Archdiocese of Milwaukee close to inking “deal” with sex abuse victims.

FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.

[Incorrigible]

Well, at least Archbishop Weakland has the renovation at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist as a positive legacy....

[TSgt]

Ah’ yes, serial pedophile Father Lawrence Murphy who raped hundreds of deaf boys. The one Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, turned a blind eye to...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8587082.stm

For more than 20 years before he was made pontiff, Cardinal Ratzinger led the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith - the Vatican office with responsibility, among other issues, for response to some child abuse cases.

An archbishop wrote letters in 1996 to the Vatican watchdog led by Cardinal Ratzinger calling for disciplinary proceedings against Fr Lawrence Murphy, according to Church and Vatican documents.

Fr Murphy was a popular priest who is believed to have molested some 200 boys at St John’s School for the Deaf in St Francis, Wisconsin, between 1950 and 1974.

A canonical trial authorised by Cardinal Ratzinger’s deputy was halted after Fr Murphy wrote to the future pope asking that proceedings be stopped, despite objections from a second archbishop.

[count-your-change]

Meanwhile the Archdiocese plans to close or merge over half the parishes without mention of the cost of the settlement over the sex abuse cases.

According to an Archdiocese website at least four dozen priests have been involved over the years not including any in religious orders. This is from a total of about 400 priests serving at any one time.

[Mrs. Don-o]

It takes almost full-time work to refute the false slanders against Pope Benedict --- and even to “re-refute” them, since so many of them were exposed as false years ago. But don’t expect retractions from the New York Times and equivalent character-assassins here and elsewhere.

Anybody with an interest in the truth is invited to read Raymond J. de Souza's article at National Review: A Response to the New York Times [Pope falsely accused]

The principal responsibility for the Lawrence Miller sexual-abuse case lay with the disgustingly negligent local Ordinary, Archbishop Rembert Weakland. Leaving the accused abuser priest supposedly "without assignment," and likewise without supervision from 1977 until 1996, and neglecting any effort to discover the scope of his abuses or to minister to his victims, Weakland essentially did nothing.

It was not until 1996 (19 years after Fr. Murphy was put out of circulation on "sick leave") that Weakland first notified Cardinal Ratzinger’s Vatican office, which promptly moved forward on having a canonical trial. Neither Ratzinger nor anyone in his office in any way impeded the local process. In fact, Card. Ratzinger’s Deputy, Cardinal Narciso Bertone, tried in every way to expedite the process, despite the huge gap created by Abp Weakland's negligence and the statute of limitations.

Fr. Murphy died in 1998, before a canonical trial could take place.

The real fault here, as I read the facts, was with the appalling Archbishop Weakland, who was notoriously derelict in his duties.

But because the Associated Press, the New York Times, and the MSM in general cannot lodge fault with Weakland ---who, as a “progressive,” a payoff-paying gay prelate himself, and a longtime enabler/protector of defiant anti-papal dissenters, was immune from all criticism --- there was a concerted, international effort to find some way to drag in Pope Benedict.

What the New York Times was churning out 2 1/2 years ago --- and repeated here by certain parties --- was vicious, prejudicial, and (it seems to me) probably legally libelous. The “Queen of Slander” herself in this game was Maureen Dowd, whose comments were echoed by well-known individuals disgracing the opinion-forums.

Being obvious in their bias and malice, they will scarcely be expected to acknowledge their factual errors. However, there may be lurkers still reading: it is for your sake, lurkers, that I offer the true account of the case.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Thanks for your re-cap.

[count-your-change]

“The real fault here, as I read the facts, was with the appalling Archbishop Weakland, who was notoriously derelict in his duties”

Murphy was only part of the problem seeing those like Weakland were derelict and those over Weakland were just as derelict for leaving him in place.

[Mrs. Don-o]

My take on John Paul II is Here (Link)

[count-your-change]

I’m sure you understand what a “sin of omission” is and why such is condemned.
Benedict is faced with a similar situation in the Philippines where a self confessed child molester occupies high office.

Will Benedict act or be like high priest Eli of old?

[Mrs. Don-o]

Ye, sins of omission are very serious, even deadly. I don't know anything about the Garcia guy except what I just now read in the Dallas News. Sickening stuff: I don't know the law, but it looks like what's needed here is criminal indictment and extradition.

[count-your-change]

Benedict doesn't have to have a criminal indictment in hand or extradition papers from anyone. This is a member of his flock! His personal representative since Garcia isn't just a run of the mill priest.

The scandal is not at the bottom where the dregs are but at the top where eyes are averted at the proper moment.

Garcia admitted sexual abuse years ago and blamed the victims for seducing him! He explains how to break Jesus own commandment of giving to Caesar Caesar’s things, i.e., How smuggle illegal ivory. Whata guy!

The great cathedrals with their stained glass and marvels of engineering are indeed something to behold, but how does a Filipino ignore the stench of dead men's bones?

[Mrs. Don-o]

Stench indeed. Horrible and disgusting.

The person who has the authority to suspend Garcia's faculties immediately, would be Garcia's bishop, Abp Jose Palma of the Archdiocese of Cebu. And this can happen right away, on Palma's sole authorty.

You are apparently thinking the Pope has the role of doing all this on his personal say-so, but that is not the case. Pope Benedict is not some kind of autocrat --- acting solo and outside of canon law --- who can come down like a ton of bricks on Garcia. So keep your eye on the man who DOES have that authority: Garcia's religious superior, Abp. Palma.

Canon law and secular (law enforcement) both operate on the basis of due process: evidence, sworn depositions, witnesses. First step, as I understand it, is for Garcia to be suspended on the spot, by his own bishop --- and this should happen right away, as in NOW --- while the investigation and legal prosecution gets underway.

Ton of bricks. I'll be praying for bricks.

[count-your-change]

This has been well known to the rest of the world for years so it's not a question of rush to judgment and execution.

What are the Catholic faithful to do? The Monsignor doesn't act, the Bishop won't act and the Pope doesn't give evidence he even notices.

“So keep your eye on the man who DOES have that authority: Garcia's religious superior, Abp. Palma”

He has greater authority than Benedict to remove a sex abuser from serving? Please do show me that canon law, the one that says the Pope cannot recall or reassign or remove from office a confessed molester... and do so immediately.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I'm not a canon lawyer, it's one hour past my bedtime, and I'm getting up at 5:00. I do know Palma has the authority and --- if these facts are correct --- the duty, to suspend Garcia's exercise of priestly ministry immediately.

Cebu City and all the 2,000+ other Catholic dioceses, could not effectively be under the Pope's personal, solo, immediate competence unless he were --- well, omnicompetent and omniscient. This is as I understand it. You might want to ask Ed Peters about this at his Canon Law Blog (Link). I just tried to go there, but for some reason it is not showing up legibly on my screen.

Let me know what you find out.

Still praying for bricks.

Peace & G'Night!

[count-your-change]

“Pope fires Slovak bishop in rare show of authority
Published July 03, 2012
Associated Press
VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI fired a 52-year-old Slovak bishop for apparently mismanaging his diocese in a rare show of papal power over bishops that could have implications for U.S. sex abuse cases.

Usually when bishops run into trouble — either for alleged moral lapses or management problems — they are persuaded by the Vatican to resign. But Benedict has become increasingly willing to forcibly remove bishops who refuse to step down, sacking three others in the past year alone.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/07/02/pope-fires-slovak-bishop-in-rare-show-authority/#ixzz27XR38TC6";

Maybe a subscription to Nat. Geo. would be enough. Somehow those Bishops Benedict wants to remove he finds a way. Why not a self confessed molester and predicate crook? If it's not important enough then what is more important?

A wolf is feeding on the sheep and no one can find the authority to show him to the door.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Good catch about the Slovak bishop. It's good to know --- but (as I understand it) Garcia is not a bishop. But still..

If it's possible --- if Benedict has his crozier raised over Garcia's guilty head --- I do hope he brings it down hard.

[count-your-change]

Garcia has a position directing the worship in the diocese and carries the title of Monsignor. In Italy he would be called “a man of respect” both for his influence and family wealth.

Time will tell whether Benedict will do the right thing but it doesn't seem likely.

The Philippines is near the hub of the Asian sex traffic trade and Filipinos are not going to be too upset with a prelate that molested a couple of boys years ago.

I expect Garcia will be told to tend to his ivory and boys and shut his mouth about it.

[SuziQ]

Yeah, apparently some are still peddling that frap about Cardinal Ratzinger supposedly blocking Murphy’s removal from the priesthood.