Two prominent clergy sex abuse experts and advocates and a former Cannon Lawyer who served at the Vatican Embassy when the clergy abuse scandal first broke in the United States
Why
Attorneys will discuss long-hidden Catholic Church records obtained by a Minnesota law firm in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin case and then filed in the United States District Court in the case of John V. Doe vs. Holy See (State of the Vatican City)and highlighted in a page one story in today’s New York Times. The Documents seriously undermine the Pope’s credibility by revealing that the Pope and top aide kept 150 sex allegations vs. predator secret in 1998, and rebuffed 3 bishops who wanted the pedophile priests ousted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/world/europe/25vatican.html
When
Today, March 25, 2010, at 2 PM
Where
Anderson Law Offices
366 Jackson Street, Suite 100
St. Paul, MN
-30-
At a press conference in St. Paul, attorneys and clergy abuse advocates discussed newly obtained Catholic Church records from a Milwaukee case that were filed in U.S. District Court in John V. Doe vs. Holy See. The documents, which were also highlighted in a New York Times story, were said to show that top Vatican officials, including the Pope and senior aides, were aware of numerous sexual abuse allegations against a known offender but failed to take action to remove him or protect children.
According to the attorneys, the records showed a documented trail of communication from church officials in Milwaukee to the Vatican regarding allegations against a priest who had abused many children. They stated the documents demonstrated a pattern of secrecy, lack of reporting to law enforcement, and prioritization of the church’s reputation over child protection. The press conference emphasized the importance of transparency, accountability, and continued efforts to expose institutional cover-ups and protect children in the future.