Thursday, March 25, 2004
Trying to sue the Catholic Church … Good Luck…
I have been watching this issue in the news quite closely as it unfolds. This case in particular is centered on the issue of a priest, Rev. Kevin Bennett, a Roman Catholic priest who was ordained in the 1960’s in Newfoundland. From the 1970’s to the end of the 1980’s, Bennett served at parishes in western Newfoundland, Canada, where he sexually abused hundreds of altar boys. He served nearly five years in prison for his crimes. If you ask me, this was not nearly long enough or a harsh enough punishment for the crimes he committed. Thirty-six of his victims – now adults – launched a civil suit seeking compensation for damages. The damages involved millions of dollars.
Today, Canada's top court has declined to rule on whether the entire Roman Catholic Church should be held responsible for the actions of a Newfoundland priest who sexually assaulted hundreds of altar boys. In its 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada said the evidence was "too weak" to make a definitive ruling on the "important and difficult question”, whether or not the Roman Catholic Church as a whole should be held accountable. Now how are these victims going to be able to collect compensation for the crimes committed against them; because, in Canada, the Catholic Church is legally incorporated at a diocese level, not at a national level like other religious denominations. This ruling means abuse victims can sue an individual priest and the specific Episcopal corporation he's hired by, but they usually do not have the financial resources of the Church and cannot pay out large settlements.
Interestingly to make a point, Revenue Canada considers priests as "independent contractors” or in other words self-employed. Lawyers representing the Catholic Church also testified that the church "is not an entity capable of being sued." WHY?
So basically in a legal definition, the Priest was acting on a frolic of his own, hummm makes me wonder. If the Roman Catholic Church states that they aren’t responsible for individual priests and their actions, wouldn’t one agree that there should be some form of accountability on the Churches part? To me they’re stating that they as a whole identity aren’t responsible for the actions that their priests who are preaching their religion partake in.
I myself was baptized as a Roman Catholic, and I personally am appalled that the Church doesn’t want to take any form whatsoever of responsibility towards this case. When I was growing up the priest played a significant role in our communities and towards the young members learning and development. I don’t actively practice or follow the religion now, yet a do know where my roots are set. Makes me wonder, … “Do onto others as you wish to be done onto you”…I believe that is how the saying goes… truly sad if you ask me…………
oh… what do you think?
I have been watching this issue in the news quite closely as it unfolds. This case in particular is centered on the issue of a priest, Rev. Kevin Bennett, a Roman Catholic priest who was ordained in the 1960’s in Newfoundland. From the 1970’s to the end of the 1980’s, Bennett served at parishes in western Newfoundland, Canada, where he sexually abused hundreds of altar boys. He served nearly five years in prison for his crimes. If you ask me, this was not nearly long enough or a harsh enough punishment for the crimes he committed. Thirty-six of his victims – now adults – launched a civil suit seeking compensation for damages. The damages involved millions of dollars.
Today, Canada's top court has declined to rule on whether the entire Roman Catholic Church should be held responsible for the actions of a Newfoundland priest who sexually assaulted hundreds of altar boys. In its 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada said the evidence was "too weak" to make a definitive ruling on the "important and difficult question”, whether or not the Roman Catholic Church as a whole should be held accountable. Now how are these victims going to be able to collect compensation for the crimes committed against them; because, in Canada, the Catholic Church is legally incorporated at a diocese level, not at a national level like other religious denominations. This ruling means abuse victims can sue an individual priest and the specific Episcopal corporation he's hired by, but they usually do not have the financial resources of the Church and cannot pay out large settlements.
Interestingly to make a point, Revenue Canada considers priests as "independent contractors” or in other words self-employed. Lawyers representing the Catholic Church also testified that the church "is not an entity capable of being sued." WHY?
So basically in a legal definition, the Priest was acting on a frolic of his own, hummm makes me wonder. If the Roman Catholic Church states that they aren’t responsible for individual priests and their actions, wouldn’t one agree that there should be some form of accountability on the Churches part? To me they’re stating that they as a whole identity aren’t responsible for the actions that their priests who are preaching their religion partake in.
I myself was baptized as a Roman Catholic, and I personally am appalled that the Church doesn’t want to take any form whatsoever of responsibility towards this case. When I was growing up the priest played a significant role in our communities and towards the young members learning and development. I don’t actively practice or follow the religion now, yet a do know where my roots are set. Makes me wonder, … “Do onto others as you wish to be done onto you”…I believe that is how the saying goes… truly sad if you ask me…………
oh… what do you think?
