Cardinal (Dolan) Authorized Payments to Abusers

[ceg045]

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York authorized payments of as much as $20,000 to sexually abusive priests as an incentive for them to agree to dismissal from the priesthood when he was the archbishop of Milwaukee.

Questioned at the time about the news that one particularly notorious pedophile cleric had been given a “payoff†to leave the priesthood, Cardinal Dolan, then the archbishop, responded that such an inference was “false, preposterous and unjust.â€

But a document unearthed during bankruptcy proceedings for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and made public by victims’ advocates reveals that the archdiocese did make such payments to multiple accused priests to encourage them to seek dismissal, thereby allowing the church to remove them from the payroll.

A spokesman for the archdiocese confirmed on Wednesday that payments of as much as $20,000 were made to “a handful†of accused priests “as a motivation†not to contest being defrocked. The process, known as “laicization,†is a formal church juridical procedure that requires Vatican approval, and can take far longer if the priest objects.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/us/ca ... .html?_r=1

[Glass Cowcatcher]

It's so disgusting that they actually have a word for it.

And where does that money come from?

[FakePigtails]

If the conservative Catholics I know got even half as angry over this as they do with the birth control coverage issue . . . :angry-banghead:

I cannot comprehend the disparity of the reactions.

[Anxious Girl]

If the conservative Catholics I know got even half as angry over this as they do with the birth control coverage issue . . . :angry-banghead:

I cannot comprehend the disparity of the reactions.

B-b-but the possible "unborn" count more than the living! You should tolerate the Roman Catholic Church's intolerance and their right to get away with shit because they're the 1 true Church!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!11!!!!!!111!

[Someonetocall]

It's so disgusting that they actually have a word for it.

And where does that money come from?

1. it's the same word for any priest leaving the priesthood. NonClergy are called "laity", ergo "laicization"

2. the church coffers?

[Elle]

Yeah, tithes given by the sheep of the church pay this money.

You'd think that all the motivation a priest would need to not contest dismissal is, "You contest this and I'm turning your ass into the cops, and your collar won't matter behind bars." Actually I'd still turn their sick asses in.

[fundiefan]

Until things started coming to light, I thought he was a good influence in Milwaukee. Obviously, that was not the case. Wolf in sheep's clothing is a perfect metaphor for him. Once he left, so many things about him were exposed.

Now, hearing the name kind of makes my stomach turn.

[nokidsmom]

Until things started coming to light, I thought he was a good influence in Milwaukee. Obviously, that was not the case. Wolf in sheep's clothing is a perfect metaphor for him. Once he left, so many things about him were exposed.

Now, hearing the name kind of makes my stomach turn.

Yeah, same here. I live in the area and thought he was good for the archdiocese as well, especially after he arrived there following a scandal with the previous archbishop. But hearing these things, and also hearing about his involvement in with the birth control furor and very actively campaigning against gay marriage in NY, let's just say I am pretty disgusted.