Agreement with more than 1,300 victims of clergy members and lay leaders would resolve long legal fight
The Catholic archdiocese of New York is finalizing a settlement for at least $800m with more than 1,300 people who said they were sexually abused by clergy members and lay leaders, according to one of the plaintiff’s attorneys.
The agreement would resolve a long legal fight, as well as reportedly reduce the risk of the diocese going bankrupt.
While the parties have not reached a final deal, just a few details remain, according to attorney Paul Mones, who represents some of the plaintiffs.
Doesn’t surprise me. But I’m talking all the way up to the Pope.
As an example of how to do it right, I present this video. There was a scandal in the Australian army where a group of male soldiers were sexually assaulting female soldiers and sharing video of it over military computer networks. That video is the response from the guy in charge of the army. It’s worth a watch.
That is what I expect. Especially from an organization that involves children. Until and unless I see something like that and the associated action coming from the very top, I have no choice but to conclude the entire organization is rotten or includes patches of rot at all levels that leadership is not addressing. And this is one of those situations where you are either taking a hard stand against it or you are complicit.
So if I was the pope I would be arranging for a broad spectrum investigation of the entire organization all the way from myself down to the last choir boy with the goal that anyone who molested kids or helped cover it up or even knew about it and did nothing is exposed and removed. That would seriously harm the organization, as I suspect it affects a great many people, but it is necessary to burn the rot out to restore credibility and trust.