As readers may recall, while Archbishop of Milwaukee, now Cardinal Timothy Dolan transferred $50 million in archdiocese funds into a cemetery trust fund to shield the funds from claims of over 600 sex abuse victims. Now, Pope Francis has an opportunity to send a message that he is indeed different than his predecessors and members of the morally bankrupt Church hierarchy who managed the worldwide sex abuse cover up conspiracy with no regard for children and youths, caring only about protecting Church funds. Will Francis order funds transferred to replace those hidden by Dolan and make compensation available for victims of predator priests. It is a true test and how the Vatican responds will speak volumes. WTAQ-TV has details. Here are highlights:
MILWAUKEE (WTAQ) - The Vatican is being asked to do what a U.S. judge in Milwaukee refuses to do -- make $50 million available to victims of sex abuse by Catholic priests.
Creditors in the Milwaukee Archdiocese bankruptcy case wrote a letter to an office in the Vatican that handles sex abuse cases. It asked top church leaders to revoke an order that allowed former Milwaukee Archbishop Tim Dolan to create a trust fund to maintain cemetery plots for Catholics in the archdiocese.
Federal Judge Rudolph Randa of Milwaukee decided earlier this year to allow the church to protect the cemetery trust funds from the creditors -- almost 600 of whom are victims of sex abuse by priests over a number of decades. Randa said the trust was protected under the freedom of religion clause in the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.
While courts should not interfere with internal affairs, hiding millions of dollars like Mafia dons to further screw over victims of abuse is far outside the limits of the First Amendment. Shame on Judge Randa.
No comments:
Post a Comment