Vatican Can Be Sued Over Abuse

[moobu2]

A federal appeals court says the Vatican can be sued for abuse committed by its priests. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco, ruled that victims of sexual abuse by priests can sue the Vatican even though it is considered a sovereign nation. The court said abuse could be an exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. A case has been working its way through the courts since a judge in Portland, Ore., ruled in 2006 that the Holy See could be held responsible for priests’ actions.

NYT

[willing dwarf]

1. Wow-- this is great news!!

I'm a devout person of faith worshipping in the Catholic tradition, but I have become sickended by the reality of the culture of privelege which has perpetuated sexual abuse sanctioned by the culture of the men only club which is the church.

They have made themselves into a bulwark against change, against investigation and honest recognition of their faults. As a result, they perpetuate the sins of the church even when they speak out against them. The possiblity of the Vatican being sued my finally wake them up!

[moobu2]

2. It will be very hard to get passed

the Roman Catholic majority on the Supreme Court, I think.

[MichiganVote]

3. About fucking time.

[TexasProgresive]

4. That would be a futile waste of time

So what if someone takes a sovereign nation to U.S. court in a law suit. How are you going to collect? How are you going to force witnesses to testify that have diplomatic immunity?

The suit(s) will go no where and be to no purpose.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Concur. The Vatican is a sovereign nation.and the priests are not even their "nationals"

The right place to go after is the dioceses.