By Dave Goldiner
New York Daily News
February 13, 2011
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/02/13/2011-02-13_archbishop_timothy_dolan_slams_charges_that_his_old_diocese_hid_millions_to_avoi.html
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| Timothy Dolan led the Milwaukee archdiocese for seven years. |
Archbishop Timothy Dolan slammed as "ludicrous" Sunday allegations that his old diocese in Milwaukee hid $130 million to avoid paying child abuse victims.
"To think . . . like Dolan's got some off-shore account in the Cayman Islands or something, this is just ludicrous," Dolan said after Mass Sunday at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Dolan said he was "saddened" by the claims, which were raised by lawyers for alleged victims of pedophile priests.
"Darn it, I think the archdiocese has done a good job," he said. "And Lord knows, I worked my hardest."
The lawyers want to depose Dolan and other top Catholic leaders over the funny-money charges.
Dolan said the allegations have tarnished the good names of those on a financial oversight panel and insisted he welcomes any probe.
"These are terribly irresponsible charges," Dolan said. "Any law enforcement officers want to talk with me, be my guest. I have nothing to hide."
Dolan led the Milwaukee archdiocese for seven years--as accusations of priestly misconduct grew--before being named spiritual leader of New York's 2 million Catholics in 2009.
A lawyer told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel paper that the Milwaukee archdiocese played a financial shell game to hide $75 million. An additional $55 million went to a cemetery fund.
The Milwaukee archdiocese, faced with a flood of child sex lawsuits, filed for bankruptcy last month.
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