[Newsday] Catholic dioceses across the United States have been hit with hundreds of millions of dollars in lawsuits stemming from child sex abuse cases in the past decade. Now, as lawmakers in Albany consider legislation that would create a one-year open window for victims to sue regardless of how long ago the alleged abuse occurred, church officials warn it could bankrupt the Catholic Church in New York.It doesn't even matter if the suits have merit or not, the sheer numbers alone could create a situation where the cost of defending itself could bankrupt most dioceses.
[Newsday] Tamberg said one case dated to 1929, demonstrating what he called the unfairness in the process. "How do you defend a case that is a dozen years before Pearl Harbor? You can't," he said.Financially, it may be an effective strategy. Spiritually, it can only serve to strengthen the Church -- blood of the martyrs and all. Even if the Church lost her property, lost her bank account, lost her public influence, power, and prestige -- even then she would go on. She has not and can not lose her mandate: Go and make disciples of all nations.
The Church has been underground in many places: 1st century Rome, China, Poland, and others -- but in the land of the (still) free and home of the brave she needs the Faithful to fight for her. The Church suffers, sometimes from her own sins, sometimes from the sins of others, but she endures. Mystically composed of sinful men joined to a sinless God, she goes on because she is Christ's own bride, and "on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it"(Matt 16:18).
Update: Read part 2 -- Catholics flock Home just by asking.
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