~Part two in a multi-part series~previous post Settlement Class Actions Lawsuits are BAD for victims and BAD for transparency. But they are mighty good for bishops. Here is what we know about victims of child sexual abuse: It can take decades for victims to come forward, because child sexual abuse is a crime of shame…Continue reading Class Action Sex Abuse Lawsuits Part 2: Lessons from Covington
~Part one in a multi-part series~ Class Actions: BAD for Victims. BAD for Justice. BAD for Transparency Class action lawsuits are a bishop’s dream and a victim’s nightmare. Let me explain: Earlier this week, news reports discussed a federal class action lawsuit filed on Tuesday against the Vatican and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. (This…Continue reading A New Series ~ Settlement Class Action Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Michael Sean Winters has written an excellent piece on the Baltimore USCCB Bishops’ Conference. He called the entire conference—from DiNardo’s leadership to the proposed reforms—”amateur hour.” My take on his editorial goes a step further: Pope Francis and the Congregation of Cardinals may have saved the US Bishops from themselves. DiNardo and team never had…Continue reading Did the Vatican save the US Bishops from themselves?
UPDATED 5:14 pm: From the Washington Post: Instead, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo — the president of the U.S. bishops’ conference — told the group that the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops had asked the bishops not to take action until after a worldwide meeting of church leaders in February. This is very interesting. The congregation is the…Continue reading UPDATED: Francis put the brakes on Baltimore. Now what?
Spoiler warning: The US Conference of Catholic Bishops is taking us for a bunch of rubes. The bishops are relying upon two things: 1) the public’s lack of institutional memory; and 2) Catholics’ reliance upon the bishop’s artificial moral authority. #1 Lack of Institutional Memory Let’s start with #1. The best way to do this…Continue reading Some thoughts on this week’s Baltimore Bishops’ Meeting
