A lawsuit has been filed in Federal District Court in Wisconsin against the Vatican, Pope Benedict, and several other Roman Catholic officials related to the abuse of over 200 deaf boys in Wisconsin during the 1960s:
MILWAUKEE (AP) — An Illinois man who says he was molested by a Wisconsin priest as a child filed a federal lawsuit Thursday accusing Pope Benedict XVI and senior Vatican officials of failing to protect children from a man the Vatican knew was a possible child molester.
The Vatican had no immediate comment.
The plaintiff, identified in court papers as John Doe 16, said he was repeatedly molested by the Rev. Lawrence Murphy while he was a student at the Milwaukee-area St. John’s School for the Deaf. The lawsuit says the abuse occurred over a number of years and included incidents where Murphy solicited sex in the confessional.
The lawsuit seeks the release of confidential Vatican files detailing clergy abuse allegations, as well as unspecified monetary damages. It also seeks a jury trial.
The lawsuit doesn’t list the years of the alleged abuse. Murphy taught at the school from 1950 to 1974.
Murphy, who died in 1998, is accused of sexually abusing some 200 boys at the school during that period. His case drew renewed scrutiny after the recent release of documents suggesting that a Vatican office led by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger — now the Pope — failed to aggressively discipline Murphy.
John Doe 16 said he wrote two letters to Vatican official Angelo Sodano reporting the abuse by Murphy and asking for help.
The lawsuit says Sodano, Ratzinger and fellow Vatican official Tarcisio Bertone all knew about the allegations against Murphy and conspired to keep them secret. The lawsuit says the claims are based on ”information and belief” but doesn’t offer proof.
It’s unclear how far this lawsuit could go, probably not very far given the immunity provisions of international law that would probably apply, but it’s yet another headache in a scandal that clearly isn’t going away anytime soon.
Here’s the complaint:
This is a frivolous lawsuit because Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict) is a head of state (the Vatican)and is immune from prosecution under international law (functional immunity) until his term expires. At the time his term expires, suits can legally be brought. Popes reign from election until death.
Except that he is not being sued for his actions as Pope, he is being sued for actions taken while he was head of the CDF and a mere Cardinal.
Papal immunity from suit is a fundamentally absurd idea anyway. Would the head of the Mormon Church be immune from suit ? Of course not
Isn’t this a civil suit anyway, i.e. looking for money damages rather than criminal convictions?
BRAVO !
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