US diocese admits paying abusive priests to leave [CNAU]

[AHapka]

“I don’t know any other organization that when you’re fired from your job because of a criminal act, you get paid to leave your job,” Isely said. “Obviously something is profoundly wrong with this system that they say is fixed. You’re paying off a child rapist; you’re giving them a bonus check; it’s a bonus basically.”​

Obviously this person has never been high up in an organization that has used a confidential seperation agreement.

As someone who has worked in both public and private sector jobs, it happens. It’s cheaper to avoid any potential wrongful termination lawsuits or even a junk lawsuit that would just result in ugly public exposure of a bad situation. Even in private industry and public government, people are paid to go away as long as they keep quiet.

If he doesn’t know of any other organization…then he is very, very ignorant. Or lying. But I will be charitable and say it’s probably just ignorance.

 

[_Abyssinia]

Timothy Cardinal Dolan blasts NYT over report he authorized payments to pedophile priests

Timothy Cardinal Dolan yesterday blasted a report that he authorized payments to pedophile priests — and said no such payments are being made to New York clerics.

Dolan, while serving as Milwaukee archbishop in 2003, agreed to pay multiple accused pedophile priests $20,000 in exchange for their agreeing to leave the priesthood, according to documents cited by The New York Times.

Joseph Zwilling, Dolan’s New York Archdiocese spokesman, told The Post last week that there was no “payoff” to pedophile priests — only “charity.”

“The New York Times does not have a reputation for fair and accurate reporting when it comes to this issue,” Dolan said yesterday after Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown. “So, to respond to charges like that — that are groundless and scurrilous — in my book it’s useless and counterproductive.”
‘To respond to charges like that — that are groundless and scurrilous — in my book it’s useless and counterproductive.’ — Timothy Cardinal Dolan, on a report of payouts to priests in sex cases
Byron Smith
‘To respond to charges like that — that are groundless and scurrilous — in my book it’s useless and counterproductive.’ — Timothy Cardinal Dolan, on a report of payouts to priests in sex cases

Yesterday, Dolan denied that similar payments were being made in the New York Archdiocese, which includes about 400 parishes in Manhattan, The Bronx, Staten Island, and seven suburban counties.

“No, thank God. Cardinal Egan did a splendid job — that’s all taken care of,” said Dolan, referring to his predecessor, Edward Cardinal Egan.

Dolan didn’t say whether similar payments to abusive Archdiocese of New York priests were made in the past.

The cardinal also lashed out at an advocacy group — Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests — that has called the payments “secret deals” and “incentives.”

But Dolan fumed, “SNAP has no credibility whatsoever.”

SNAP director David Clohessy shot back.

“It’s sad that America’s top Catholic official won’t answer a simple question: How many predator priests got how much money to quietly move on . . . perhaps to molest again?” Clohessy said. “This is a predictable tactic bishops use when forced to defend the indefensible — they attack the messenger.”

After yesterday’s Mass, Dolan left for a weeklong trip to Ireland.

nypost.com/p/news/local/holy_hell_from_dolan_iUsIwF0IoLNF31v6MMaPnO#ixzz1wwPOH7cu

 

[tarboy]

It makes it very difficult to take the heirarchy of the Church seriously when they discussion ‘moral’ or social issues when they do things like this. You can’t have it both ways: You either live up to the expectations that you impose on others, or…you can’t live up to those expectations either and are just like everyone else. You can’t effectively preach morals or goodness when you are not an example of morality or goodness…

But of course they are just like everyone else,
THEY ARE HUMAN

And so many of them to set fine examples and try to live the word

 

[ORD_Man]

Right or wrong on the “payments” - were the police ever called? This seems to be the crux of the problem and the most obvious way to protect children.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

I don’t know what to make of this? Being a new convert this saddens me. I understand the “supposed” reasoning given for why they paid their priests to leave, but as a mother, it disgusts me that these priests were paid anything. I’m quoting this, but he makes a great and valid point:

According to Peter Isely, of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), the payments are tantamount to “bonuses” paid out to child rapists and molestors.

Actually, Peter Isely is completely wrong. It happens everyday in all kinds of businesses. For starters, these days all accusations of sexual abuse are turned over to the police/attorney general. So if there’s not enough evidence to prosecute then there’s not much the Church can do about that. To say that corporate executives and such who are accused of wrongdoing just get voted out is flatly untrue. Anytime there’s a potential for a lawsuit or fight over the firing there’s usually some sort of package put together to make the person go away and not sue and drag it out.

In this case the priests have the right to appeal their dismissal to the Vatican. Its a process and if there’s a serious lack of evidence then the Vatican might uphold the priest’s right to stay. Afterall, if there was tons of evidence it seems fit to reason that the person would be on trial or in jail instead of tied up in canonical courts.

Is it the best option? No. But sometimes dioceses just want these guys to go away. I’m not sure I’d call it a “bonus” since they’re out of a job, benefits, and a place to live and received less than a year’s salary.