By Jon Byman
Tmj4
April 23, 2010
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/91897444.html
[Click Here to read the suit.]
Victims of priest sex abuse are suing Pope Benedict.
The victims filed a federal lawsuit in Milwaukee against the Pope and other top Vatican officials. The suit claims the Vatican leadership covered up claims of sex abuse.
The 55 page lawsuit was filed Thursday.
 |
"We're here because we're trying to bring to the world this terrible crime," said Arthur Budzynski through a translator. Budzynski is a victim of Father Lawrence Murphy. Murphy is believed to have abused some 200 boys while he ran the St. John's School for the Deaf between 1950 and 1974.
The victims claim the catholic church knew about it and did nothing to stop it. "Father murphy may have stolen our bodies, but the cardinal and the archbishops stole our voices," Budzynski said.
An anonymous alleged victim filed a federal lawsuit against high-ranking Vatican officials and Pope Benedict. The lawsuit asks for the release of confidential vatican clergy abuse files and monetary damages. An attorney for the vatican calls the lawsuit "a publicity stunt."
That response isn't acceptable for Peter Isley with the Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests, "to respond this way is just not appropriate."
Isley, a spokesman for the group says he's outraged at the vatican's response. "that's not some stunt, what we're talking about here."
He's also disappointed some Catholics feel suing the pope goes too far. "If people read these stories, listened to these men, read these documents, i think most of the people who don't like this will come out of these saying something's gotta be done. Something needs to be done."
Legal experts say suing the Pope is extremely difficult because he may be immune to lawsuits, because of his rank in the church. Technically the vatican is a sovereign nation and the Pope is the head of the state. That means that suing the Pope in our country would be similar to filing suit against the Queen.
We snap about that. They say, it's still worth trying if it helps stop clergy abuse in the future.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.