A lawsuit filed almost a year ago, alleging that Pope Benedict XVI and two top Vatican officials knew about an allegation of sexual abuse and called off the internal punishment of the accused priest, has now reached the Vatican itself with court papers filed through official diplomatic channels, as reported by The Canadian Press and other media.
The sexual abuse allegations are decades old against a priest that is now deceased.
Attorney Jeff Anderson, representing the accuser, stated that the incident occurred at St. John’s School for the Deaf outside of Milwaukee. Anderson said, “Every time we make a step forward, as long as that takes, we are going in the right direction.
And the direction we're headed is a measure of accountability. We really believe that we need to put some heat on the Vatican to bring some light.”
Jeffrey Lena, the U.S. based attorney for the Vatican, said that he has yet to evaluate the court papers to make sure that they do indeed meet the laws that the U.S. requires. Lena said, “It's premature to comment what will happen next in the case.”
The victim, T.K., formerly of Milwaukee and now living in Chicago, claims that the pope and the other two Vatican officials called off the punishment for Rev. Lawrence Murphy’s sexual abuse allegations.
A federal judge asked the Vatican to cooperate with the serving of papers last October, and the Vatican was not obliged to comply.
Representatives from Anderson’s office tried serving the papers to the office of the Assessor for General Affairs at the Vatican in January – and the papers were returned. Lena said that the lawsuit had to be served through diplomatic channels only, as it is to be done with any foreign state.
T. K. has alleged that Rev. Murphy started sexually molesting him in 1960.
The lawsuit claims that Joseph Ratzinger, now named as Pope Benedict XVI, conspired with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state and Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the former Vatican secretary of state – to actively keep their knowledge of Murphy’s sexual abuse quiet for several decades.
In 1997 the office had ordered a canonical trial for Murphy, but after they received a letter from the Reverend – which made them consider his advanced age, failing health and lack of additional allegations – they withdrew.
The victim also wrote a letter – two of them – directed to Sodano in 1995. In each he allegedly told Sodano of Murphy’s abuse and asked him for assistance.
The lawsuit states that the victim “continues to suffer great pain of mind and body, shock, emotional distress, embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, disgrace, humiliation and loss of enjoyment of life.”
Clerical sex abuse cases, under canon law and a church structure, per the Vatican, holds bishops responsible for disciplining their own pedophile priests. The Vatican argues that they are not liable.
Anderson has one more case similar to this one pending against the Vatican. He represents a man in Oregon that was abused at his Catholic School during the 1960s.
In that case he has also requested that a federal judge require testimony from the pope, and other Vatican officials.
Has a member of the clergy subjected you to sexual abuse? Contact a personal injury attorney to help you with discretion.