Church Abuse Victims Say Compensation Fund Is No Substitute for Lawsuit Window

By Peter Smith
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
September 2, 2018

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/faith-religion/2018/09/02/Sexual-abuse-Catholic-priests-Pennsylvania-grand-jury-compensation-fund-lawsuit-statute-limitations/stories/201809010054

As advocates for victims of sexual abuse call for a chance to file lawsuits over long-ago abuse, some Catholic bishops and their legislative allies are promoting an alternative that’s been used in other states — setting up a victim’s compensation fund, with payments determined by a neutral third party.

Pennsylvania’s Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati proposed the fund as an alternative to the idea of creating a window in the statute of limitations, which he contended would violate the state constitution.

Erie Bishop Lawrence Persico said he backs the idea of a fund, and the dioceses of Pittsburgh, Greensburg and Harrisburg all issued statements saying they were open to it.