Catholic Leaders Battle Abuse Bill in New York State

As the New York Times reports, the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church continues to put money and covering the fat asses of bishops and cardinals who enabled or covered up the sexual abuse of minors ahead of all else. Even more incredibly - or perhaps not given what an abominable organization it has become - the New York State Catholic Conference is trying to depict the Church as being persecuted. Truth be told, the Church leaders from the Pope on down did wrongful things and they need to pay a heavy price. The hypocrisy of the hierarchy clearly shows no limits and demonstrates what a foul cesspool the Church has become. Would that the dear bishops and cardinals had given the slightest thought to protecting children rather than predatory priests in years gone by. One can only hope that more thinking members of the Catholic laity will vote with their feet and leave an increasingly corrupt and morally bankrupt institution. Here are some story highlights:

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If signed by Gov. David A. Paterson, a longtime supporter, the bill would at minimum revive hundreds of claims filed in recent years against Catholic priests and dioceses in New York, but dismissed because they were made after the current time limit, which is five years after the accuser turns 18. Similar legislation has passed in Delaware and in California, where a 2003 law led to claims that have cost the church an estimated $800 million to $1 billion in damages and settlements.

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“We believe this bill is designed to bankrupt the Catholic Church,” said Dennis Poust, spokesman for the New York State Catholic Conference, a group representing the bishops of the state’s eight dioceses. He said that Cardinal Egan and Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio of Brooklyn visited Albany this week to voice their opposition, and that a statewide network of Catholic parishioners had bombarded lawmakers via e-mail.

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Many children’s advocates say guilt, shame and fear of the emotional toll on family members have often deterred victims from reporting sexual abuse until well into adulthood. The revelations of past abuse by priests that became a national scandal starting in 2002 prompted some to seek redress, only to discover they were barred by the statutes of limitation.

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Marci A. Hamilton, a professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University who has argued that states should remove all statutes of limitation on child sex abuse claims, said the principle is comparable to the way industrial pollution is treated under the law. “The consequences of toxic pollution may not be known or felt for years after the fact,” she said. “The same is often true for children who are sexually abused.”

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Senator Thomas K. Duane, a Manhattan Democrat and the bill’s lead sponsor in the Senate, said he was “extremely optimistic” about its chances. He said that opponents’ claims of unfairness were not compelling, and that warnings of bankruptcy for religious institutions, which he dismissed as unlikely, missed the point. “It’s not about money,” he said. “It’s about giving people the right to seek justice.”

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As an institution, the Catholic Church from Pope John XXIII on down made a conscious decision to sacrifice the safety and welfare of children through secrecy and cover up efforts. The Church needs to be severely punished for its moral bankruptcy. Nothing means more to the Church hierarchy than money, so how better to get the message across.