Philadelphia Archdiocese Ordered: Prepare for Trial in Sex-Abuse Case

Catholic Culture
January 27, 2012

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=13138

Although the Philadelphia archdiocese is not a defendant in the sex-abuse case, a Pennsylvania judge has ordered the archdiocese to prepare for a trial in March.

The case against Msgr. William Lynn involves his work in handling clergy assignments for the archdiocese. Prosecutors have referred to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as an "unindicted conspirator" in the case, and Msgr. Lynn's defense has suggested that the accused priest was carrying out policies approved by his clerical superiors.

At a January 26 hearing, Judge Teresa Sarmina ordered lawyers for the archdiocese to provide detailed records of Msgr. Lynn's office correspondence, including his consultations with archdiocesan lawyers. An attorney for the archdiocese said that the Church might resist further disclosures. "We are not a party to that battle," he said of the Lynn case.

Msgr. Lynn's lawyer took a different view. In defending his client, he told reporters, "If we have to do something at the end of the day that hurts the archdiocese, we'll do that."