Today's Headlines

[Big Blue Owl]

Timeline: US Church sex scandal

The main events in the ongoing sex abuse scandal involving the US Roman Catholic Church and in particular the Boston Archdiocese, which has been at the centre of many of the highest-profile accusations.

Cardinal Bernard Law (archive image)
Cardinal Law resigned, accused of covering up sex abuse by priests
1984: Bernard Law is appointed archbishop of Boston, and elevated to cardinal a year later.

1985: Sex abuse by priests becomes a national issue in the US for the first time, as Louisiana priest Gilbert Gauthe pleads guilty to 11 counts of molestation of boys.

1992-3: The Reverend James Porter of Fall River diocese, Massachusetts, is accused of abusing children in five US states in the 1960s and 1970s. He later pleads guilty to 41 counts of abuse.

1992: US bishops meeting in South Bend, Indiana, admit attempts by some of their number to hide abuse.

1993: First legal proceedings brought against Dallas diocese over sex abuse by the priest Rudolph Kos.

13 July, 1998: Dallas diocese forced to pay more than $31m to victims of Kos.

1999: Former Massachusetts priest John Geoghan indicted on child rape charges.

8 January, 2002: Vatican publishes guidelines on how to deal with paedophile priests, saying all cases should be reported to Rome.

Former Massachusetts priest John Geoghan
Geoghan was jailed for 10 years in 2002 - and later killed in prison

9 January: Cardinal Law apologises to victims of John Geoghan and promises a tougher line on abusive priests in future.

18 January: Geoghan convicted of indecent assault and battery of a 10-year-old boy, for which he later receives a 10-year prison sentence.

4 April: Two US men, in Florida and Oregon, begin legal action which symbolically names the Vatican for its alleged role in covering up sex abuse cases.

8 April: File released on the Rev Paul Shanley, alleging he publicly advocated sex between men and boys and still received the backing of the archdiocese for his ministry.

23 April: Pope John Paul II calls emergency meeting with US cardinals in Rome.

2 May: Paul Shanley arrested in California and later charged on three counts of child rape. He denies the charges.

13 June: US bishops approve "zero tolerance" national policy on abuse, but the Vatican demands changes to protect rights of priests.

17 September: Boston Jesuit priest James Talbot charged with raping and assaulting three teenaged students.

19 September: The Boston Archdiocese reaches $10m settlement with victims of John Geoghan, retracting a previous settlement of $30m which the Church said would have bankrupted the archdiocese.

Paul Shanley
Shanley was convicted of raping at least one boy

3 November: Cardinal Law apologises for "decisions which led to suffering".

13 November: US bishops meet in Washington and approve revised policy on abusive priests which takes account of Vatican concerns.

On the same day, Roman Catholic activists from the Survivors First group launch an online database listing 573 US priests accused of involvement in paedophilia since 1996, later dropping 100 of the names.

3 December: New revelations about eight priests in Boston archdiocese accused of abusing women and girls, taking drugs and supplying drugs in return for sexual favours.

6 December: Cardinal Law leaves for the Vatican, on the same day that he reportedly is ordered to appear before a grand jury investigating sex abuse allegations.

13 December: Cardinal Law resigns as archbishop.

Bishops
The Vatican has demanded some protection for accused priests

April 2003: The Boston Archdiocese avoids bankruptcy by agreeing to sell land and buildings for over $100m to fund legal settlements to more than 500 abuse victims.

24 August: John Geoghan is killed in a Massachusetts prison.

27 February 2004: A report commissioned by the Church says more than 4,000 US Roman Catholic priests had faced sexual abuse allegations in the last 50 years, in cases involving more than 10,000 children - mostly boys.

1 July: The key accuser of defrocked priest Paul Shanley is dropped from the case by prosecutors.

7 July: In an unprecedented move, the Portland Archdiocese files for bankruptcy because of the huge costs from clergy sex abuse lawsuits.

The action halts a trial of a lawsuit seeking some $155m against the late Rev Maurice Grammond, who was accused of molesting more than 50 boys in the 1980s.

28 September: Prosecutors drop a case against former Massachusetts bishop Thomas Dupre, hours after he is charged with raping two children in the 1970s.

15 November: US Roman Catholic bishops elect Bishop William Skylstad as their new president. His Washington diocese faces bankruptcy due to the volume of compensation claims made by alleged victims of child abuse.

3 December: After two years of talks, the diocese of Orange County, California, settles a sex abuse lawsuit brought by 87 plaintiffs for an unspecified sum. The diocese later says the package is worth $100m (?53m).

7 February 2005: A US court convicts Paul Shanley of four charges relating to offences committed in the 1980s including rape and indecent assault.

June: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, California, agrees to pay $35m (?17m) to 33 victims.

August: The Diocese of Oakland, California, agrees to pay $56m (?27.5m) to 56 people.

December 2006: The Archdiocese of Los Angeles agrees to pay $60m (?30m) to settle to 45 cases of alleged sexual abuse by priests.

January 2007: The Spokane diocese in Washington agrees to pay at least $48m (?24.7m) as compensation to people abused by priests.

July: A lead plaintiff lawyer says the Los Angeles Archdiocese has reached a financial settlement with 500 alleged sex abuse victims. Unnamed sources put the figure at $660m (?324m).

[ElfDude]

^^^^^^^^^^

It's absolutely insane, isn't it?

[CygnusX1]

^^^^^^^^^^

It's absolutely insane, isn't it?

you betcha....and Mahony STILL won't do the right thing
and admit he HID IT ALL.

That's what we call "making it all go away."

[Seaton]

My one-and-only problem with bringing forth all of the (undoubtably true) allegations is that the church has no way to respond that can make them look good...the fingers of shame are pointed, and every good deed is thus negated...that's the real travesty...the betrayal of trust...I still trust and follow the Catholic tenets I was raised by (but I do look over my shoulder whenever I kneel down now)

[awip2062]

This is exactly why we teach our kids about things to watch for and to do like always tell us if someone (even someone they trust and who is in authority over them) asks them to keep a secret other than about a surprise party or gift.

It is also why we teach them that although G-d will always be faithful, humans are not perfect and there are wolves even in the church.

[Big Blue Owl]

That's awesome, Dawn and Dan. I wish you were my parents.

Hey, check it out...your names are only different by one letter!

[Big Blue Owl]

My one-and-only problem with bringing forth all of the (undoubtably true) allegations is that the church has no way to respond that can make them look good...the fingers of shame are pointed, and every good deed is thus negated...that's the real travesty...the betrayal of trust...I still trust and follow the Catholic tenets I was raised by (but I do look over my shoulder whenever I kneel down now)

Yep, one can give openly to charity, save otherwise condemned souls and shout praise for the Almighty for hours at a time, but you screw one kid and people seem to suddenly, somehow forget all the good stuff.

------------------------------

Edit:
I read this back and it seems a bit...well, let's just say I didn't intend for it to sound directed at anyone in particular. I originally heard it in my head as a comedian delivering a quick dark-comedy line after setting up this disgusting story. So, sorry if I offended anyone. (and I changed "F" to "screw." That's gotta count for something )

[awip2062]

That's awesome, Dawn and Dan. I wish you were my parents.

Hey, check it out...your names are only different by one letter!

Maybe we should be in the Change A Letter thread! lol

[Big Blue Owl]

That's awesome, Dawn and Dan. I wish you were my parents.

Hey, check it out...your names are only different by one letter!

Maybe we should be in the Change A Letter thread! lol

No, don't! Someone will screw it up, not follow the rules to be a rebel, and it'll tick me off again

[awip2062]

LOL

Okay, I don't want to stress you.

[ElfDude]

Tens of thousands of people are without electricity or water as Britain suffers its worst flooding in modern history.

Since the U.S. president was blamed for Katrina floods, will the U.K. Prime Minister be blamed for this?

Joking aside... yikes! What a tragedy!

[CygnusX1]

Over 50 people rescued by helo yesterday...

Well done mates.

**Orders my men to attention**

"HAND SALUTE." "READY...TWO."

"AS YOU WERE."

[awip2062]

My one-and-only problem with bringing forth all of the (undoubtably true) allegations is that the church has no way to respond that can make them look good...the fingers of shame are pointed, and every good deed is thus negated...that's the real travesty...the betrayal of trust...I still trust and follow the Catholic tenets I was raised by (but I do look over my shoulder whenever I kneel down now)

Yep, one can give openly to charity, save otherwise condemned souls and shout praise for the Almighty for hours at a time, but you screw one kid and people seem to suddenly, somehow forget all the good stuff.

------------------------------

Edit:
I read this back and it seems a bit...well, let's just say I didn't intend for it to sound directed at anyone in particular. I originally heard it in my head as a comedian delivering a quick dark-comedy line after setting up this disgusting story. So, sorry if I offended anyone. (and I changed "F" to "screw." That's gotta count for something )

Just FYI, BBO, I didn't hear it in my head as directed at any one person at all, but as a general statement. Offense? Nopes! I think we know you better than to think you were trying to offend.

[ElfDude]

I think I like this guy...

GORDON Brown last night praised George Bush for leading the global war on terror ? saying the world owed America a huge debt.

The Prime Minister vowed to take Winston Churchill?s lead and make Britain?s ties with America even stronger.

Mr Brown stunned critics by THANKING President Bush for the fight against Islamic extremism, and insisted the UK-US relationship will be his No1 foreign policy priority.

He said on his first visit to the President?s US retreat at Camp David: ?Winston Churchill spoke of the ?joint inheritance? of our two countries.?

The PM said that meant ?a joint inheritance not just of shared history but shared values founded on a shared destiny?.

He added: ?America has shown by the resilience and bravery of its people from September 11 that while buildings can be destroyed, values are indestructable.

?We acknowledge the debt the world owes to the US for its leadership in this fight against international terrorism.?

[zepboy]

I'm with you on this one Elfie. I love it when someone sticks to their values and commitments. I could learn a lot . . .