With every new revelation of Catholic Bishops conspiring with the Vatican to cover-up the sexual abuse of children by priests, my heart gets more and more heavy. Today, it is a report of an Irish government investigation that revealed Catholic Church officials in Ireland (including a Bishop who had previously served as personal secretary to three Popes) covered up the sexual abuse of children over many years—and as recently as 2009 blatantly disregarded the Irish Bishops’ policies that required reporting to law enforcement. Similarly, in January of this year, a Philadelphia Grand Jury grand …

I praise Chicago Judge Jeffrey Lawrence for his latest order and commend him for acknowledging the hurt and destruction caused by Jesuit officials in their cover-up of Fr. Donald McGuire’s predatory actions.  Judge Lawrence ruled yesterday that survivors John Doe 117, John Doe 118, and John Doe 129, all of whom were sexually abused by Fr. McGuire as minors, can seek punitive damages in their lawsuit against the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus.  Greater than actual damages, which account for a plaintiff’s losses from harm caused by the defendant, punitive damages are int…

I praise Chicago Judge Jeffrey Lawrence for his latest order and commend him for acknowledging the hurt and destruction caused by Jesuit officials in their cover-up of Fr. Donald McGuire’s predatory actions.  Judge Lawrence ruled yesterday that survivors John Doe 117, John Doe 118, and John Doe 129, all of whom were sexually abused by Fr. McGuire as minors, can seek punitive damages in their lawsuit against the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus.  Greater than actual damages, which account for a plaintiff’s losses from harm caused by the defendant, punitive damages are int…

I praise Chicago Judge Jeffrey Lawrence for his latest order and commend him for acknowledging the hurt and destruction caused by Jesuit officials in their cover-up of Fr. Donald McGuire’s predatory actions.  Judge Lawrence ruled yesterday that survivors John Doe 117, John Doe 118, and John Doe 129, all of whom were sexually abused by Fr. McGuire as minors, can seek punitive damages in their lawsuit against the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus.  

When the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced yesterday yet another meeting to address the clergy sex abuse crisis, I was once again discouraged to hear that top church officials continue to talk, plan, and promise change in their policies but avoid taking action toward solving the problem.

Last week Attorney Pat Noaker and I held a press conference in Kansas City announcing a lawsuit against the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph and Father Shawn Ratigan.  The lawsuit accuses Fr. Ratigan and the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph of violating federal child pornography laws after the Diocese discovered child pornography on Ratigan’s computer and did nothing for months.  Pat Noaker wrote more about the case in his blog last week.

Last week Attorney Pat Noaker and I held a press conference in Kansas City announcing a lawsuit against the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph and Father Shawn Ratigan.  The lawsuit accuses Fr. Ratigan and the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph of violating federal child pornography laws after the Diocese discovered child pornography on Ratigan’s computer and did nothing for months.  Pat Noaker wrote more about the case in his blog last week.In the decades that I have been bringing cases against officials and various arms of the Catholic Church I’ve found that it is typical for Dio…

“Listening sessions.” 
That is what Bishop Robert Finn and the Diocese of Kansas City – St.
Joseph offered in response to a lawsuit
revealing violation of federal child pornography laws for receiving and
distributing child pornography that was created by one of the Diocese
priests.

State statutes of limitations provide a substantial barrier for priest sex abuse survivors seeking justice and truth after what is often decades of silence and suffering. Even more important than monetary gains, civil lawsuits give survivors an opportunity for closure and healing.State Senator Thomas Duane introduced window legislation in New York and outlined his plan in an editorial published yesterday. His proposal provides a one year window for otherwise time-barred survivors to file a lawsuit.

In 2008, a southern Illinois jury heard substantial evidence of a heinous, years-long diocesan cover-up of heart-breaking child sex crimes by Father Raymond Kownacki. Jurors awarded $5 million to one of the priest’s victims. Three years later, Belleville Diocese’s Bishop Braxton keeps battling relentlessly to avoid honoring the jury’s judgment and helping the priest’s victims heal.