How are the sex abuse cases being investigated to determine the pay outs?

[whatevergirl]

*Just curious about this…I absolutely believe sexual abuse was going on over the years, between priests and children. That said, as we know human nature, there might be some who are ‘‘claiming’’ they were abused for money. It does happen. I remember when 9/11 happened, and there were false life insurance claims that came forth, I read about, for people claiming their loved ones were in the building. Pretty strange world we live in. Anywho…how are the claims being paid against the Church? When someone makes an accusation that Father ‘‘Bob’’ molested them 30 years ago, are there questions asked? Is there an investigation? I read article after article about these cases, but it’s unclear as to what EXTENT an investigation has been made into each and every claim. I just wonder how claims are getting paid with priests who are now deceased?

I was wondering if anyone knew if these cases were being judged on a case by case basis, or is this like a class action type of suit against the Church?*

 

[whatevergirl]

*I mean, a lot of $$ has been paid out in a relatively short amount of time…and meanwhile Casey Anthony is still sitting in jail, waiting her trial. Her daughter was murdered two years ago, for pete’s sakes and she is still waiting for a trial. But, **scads and scads *of abuse cases are being paid out this quickly, for so much money? It just makes me very curious as to how these cases are being handled, so many years after the abuse took place. I believe much of the abuse that has been reported has taken place, absolutely…I’m just curious how cases against priests are being handled when someone comes forth accusing someone of abuse.

 

[lutherlic]

I have thought about this too. My assumption is that compensation is voluntarily offered only when there is reason to believe the charges are true. That could be the case where there is strong supporting evidence or there is an admission of guilt.

There are other cases too as you suggest. I read this week where an accuser was found guilty of lying, greatly impacting an innocent priest for a period of years, and was sentenced to 4 years in prison. If memory serves (big if for me), that was in the UK.

 

[Langdell]

This is something I have some direct knowledge of as a result of my law practice. These issues are handled on the diocesan level. No payments are made unless there is reason to believe that the accusation is true. If someone just makes an allegation about a priest who died years ago, and there’s no reason to believe it other than the accuser’s say-so, then the diocese will fight it.

.

 

[centurionguard]

*Just curious about this…I absolutely believe sexual abuse was going on over the years, between priests and children. That said, as we know human nature, there might be some who are ‘‘claiming’’ they were abused for money. It does happen. I remember when 9/11 happened, and there were false life insurance claims that came forth, I read about, for people claiming their loved ones were in the building. Pretty strange world we live in. Anywho…how are the claims being paid against the Church? When someone makes an accusation that Father ‘‘Bob’’ molested them 30 years ago, are there questions asked? Is there an investigation? I read article after article about these cases, but it’s unclear as to what EXTENT an investigation has been made into each and every claim. I just wonder how claims are getting paid with priests who are now deceased?

I was wondering if anyone knew if these cases were being judged on a case by case basis, or is this like a class action type of suit against the Church?*

** there might be some who are ‘‘claiming’’ they were abused for money. It does happen.**

This seems to be crux of the matter with an increasing number of (“so-called-victims”) in Catholic sex scandal cases coming out of the wood-work 20 and 30 years later.
Surely some cases are legitimate. But of those sex abuse cases that are actually falsified I don’t believe its easy to make an exhaustive investigation to prove between those that are false and those that are legit. It’s a Lawyers game. In the end its the real victim that suffers and no amount of money can quiet such stigma.

 

[Mark77]

**Where is the responsibility? Where were the families of these poor children???

i was an altar boy in the 60’s & would have never let a priest or any other man or woman touch me inappropriately. If they tried i would have let my parents & the lay teachers & nuns in my parish know right away.

It’s really odd that now, 30, 40 years later, all of these poor, abused, “victims?” come to light, especially when there are MILLION $$$$$ settlements???

If these families really wanted justice, where were their parents when these “pedophile” (read “gay”) priest were harming them ? Why didn’t they stand up & protect other innocent children??**

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark

 

[Major_Tom]

**Where is the responsibility? Where were the families of these poor children???
**
i was an altar boy in the 60’s & would have never let a priest or any other man or woman touch me inappropriately. If they tried i would have let my parents & the lay teachers & nuns in my parish know right away.

It’s really odd that now, 30, 40 years later, all of these poor, abused, “victims?” come to light, especially when there are MILLION $$$$$ settlements???

If these families really wanted justice, where were their parents when these “pedophile” (read “gay”) priest were harming them ? Why didn’t they stand up & protect other innocent children??

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark

I can’t decipher your logic. The alleged crimes are old, therefore they must not have occurred?

Could the same church that shuffled priests to different parishes have perhaps (perhaps) encouraged people to stay quiet? Is it possible parents were confused about whether they stay quiet and hope it goes away, or hire a lawyer? Would hiring a lawyer and making a big stink about it in the 1950’s have engendered good will with your Catholic parishioners or made you a pariah?

Glad to see you reminded us that “gay” priests were behind all this. I’ll bet they’re behind all the bad press, those nasty gays!

 

[Jermosh]

Its almost all voluntary from what I understand. I know in Mass there was a law limiting the amount to something under $10k, but they went well above ad beyond that.

 

[whatevergirl]

**Where is the responsibility? Where were the families of these poor children???
**
i was an altar boy in the 60’s & would have never let a priest or any other man or woman touch me inappropriately. If they tried i would have let my parents & the lay teachers & nuns in my parish know right away.

It’s really odd that now, 30, 40 years later, all of these poor, abused, “victims?” come to light, especially when there are MILLION $$$$$ settlements???

If these families really wanted justice, where were their parents when these “pedophile” (read “gay”) priest were harming them ? Why didn’t they stand up & protect other innocent children??

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark

*Hi Mark–in some cases, I have read about recently, victims when they were still very young, and this was happening to them, DID report it to other priests…and nothing was done. In the 70’s, there were a few cases when the vicitms did tell their parents, and the parents tried to get some action taken against the priests…and not sure from that point, what happened. I don’t think all the cases we’re seeing now, are people suddenly speaking out, some yes, but others, no. It seems as the media presents it, that ALL of the victims waited until now to say something, but that’s inaccurate. *

 

[kage_ar]

If my child had been molested, the thought of money paid out on top of it would sicken me.

 

[whatevergirl]

If my child had been molested, the thought of money paid out on top of it would sicken me.

Yeah, I hear ya…I think though for many victims, money seems to be at least a method of some type of vindication…but there can never be recompense for what happened.