Catholic Church Paying the Price for Closing its Eyes to Abuse

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It is estimated that, to date, just in the United States, the Catholic Church has paid out more than $2 billion to victims of abuse by priests and others associated with the church. This is probably the tip of the iceberg as more victims come forth as more suits succeed and sizeable settlements reached. This iceberg tip of $2 billion outgoing from the Church does not include the rest of the world where victims are as widespread as the reach of the Church.

A mushrooming scandal in Alaska is a microcosm of what the Church faces around the world. A lawsuit filed on behalf of 43 victims against Alaska’s Jesuit order claims that Alaska was the Jesuit’s dumping ground for “problem” priests. Another lawsuit with 60+ victims is in the works. These two lawsuits are part of an Alaska clergy scandal involving at least 300 victims and 40 Jesuit priests and volunteers. Like many suits, this suit alleges that Church officials knew of the abusive priests but failed to do anything about it. More people are coming forward as the scandal rocks the state. To date in just the state of Alaska, the Church has paid out $59 million in damages. Anchorage Daily News


Will the Catholic Church survive both the financial drain and catastrophic damage to its image? Of course – a 2,000 year old institution of world society will not perish due to a perverse minority. The Church will eventually reclaim its reputation, having purged its internal hypocrisy.


As to the hypocrisy of celibacy, that should be another article.


As to Benedict XVI and external hypocrisy, that was another article. Pope Lifts Excommunication of Holocaust-Denying Bishop

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