Discussion of All Things Political

Conn. bishops urge parishes to fight new sex abuse law

HARTFORD, Conn.

Connecticut's Roman Catholic bishops are urging parishes to fight legislation that would extend the statute of limitation in civil child sex abuse cases.

The bishops asked pastors to include a bulletin insert this week that warns of potentially "disastrous" financial fallout.

The insert says the bill could dredge up claims more than 70 years old and place all church institutions at risk, even parishes free of claims.

The insert is signed by Hartford Archbishop Henry Mansell, Bridgeport Bishop William Lori and Norwich Bishop Michael Cote.

Current law gives victims until age 48 to sue. The new law would allow people above that age to join in lawsuits filed by younger people.

State Rep. Beth Bye, a bill co-sponsor, said the bishops' letter was inflammatory and showed a lack of focus on abuse victims.

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Information from: The Hartford Courant, http://www.courant.com

And while they are at it...apparently the sharp criticism that the church is taking is all teh fault of...wait for it...THE JEWS.

HEADDESK

A retired Italian bishop has provoked fury by reportedly suggesting that “Zionists” are behind the current storm of accusations over clerical sex abuse shaking the Vatican and the Catholic Church.

Monsignor Giacomo Babini, the Bishop Emeritus of Grossetto, was quoted by the Italian Roman Catholic website Pontifex as saying he believed a “Zionist attack” was behind the criticism of the Pope, given that it was “powerful and refined” in nature.

Bishop Babini denied he had made any anti-Semitic remarks. He was backed by the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI), which issued a declaration by Bishop Babini in which he said: “Statements I have never made about our Jewish brothers have been attributed to me.”

However, Bruno Volpe, who interviewed Monsignor Babini for Pontifex, confirmed that the bishop had made the statement, which was reported widely in the Italian press today. Pontifex threatened to release the audio tape of the interview as proof. MORE

I don't see why this church should have any kind of moral authority ever again.