PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Daily News
By KITTY CAPARELLA
caparek@phillynews.com
IF THE aftermath of Boston's pedophile-priest scandal is any indication, this is what the area's 1.5 million Catholics could face here, according to research by a Temple University religion professor:
• A drop in donations from outraged Catholics, upset with the graphic details - from abortion, to sadomasochism to repeated rape - against 63 of the 169 accused priests described in the 418-page grand jury report, released by District Attorney Lynne Abraham last week.
• Numerous civil lawsuits filed against the priests, who allegedly engaged in the sexual abuse of children, the churches where the abuse took place and the archdiocesan officials, who allegedly covered it up - just as Boston faced.
• Closing of parishes, as churches and the archdiocese deal with the financial repercussions, such as the 80 parish churches that the Boston Archdiocese proposed to close.
Some Boston parishioners vow to stay in the churches around the clock to prevent their closing.
• Possible bankruptcy, such as three dioceses have filed. More than $1 billion has been paid out in U.S. settlements, and the figure is expected to rise to $3 billion.