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Vatican rejects US Pope lawsuit | Vatican rejects US Pope lawsuit |
(5 days later) | |
The Vatican says a lawsuit brought against Pope Benedict and two Church officials by a US man who says he was abused by a priest is "without merit". | The Vatican says a lawsuit brought against Pope Benedict and two Church officials by a US man who says he was abused by a priest is "without merit". |
Vatican lawyer Jeffrey Lena said the lawsuit, filed in a Milwaukee court, "rehashes old theories already rejected by US courts". | Vatican lawyer Jeffrey Lena said the lawsuit, filed in a Milwaukee court, "rehashes old theories already rejected by US courts". |
Lawyers for the alleged victim want the Church to release any files it has on sexual abuse cases involving priests. | Lawyers for the alleged victim want the Church to release any files it has on sexual abuse cases involving priests. |
The man says he was sexually abused by the late Father Lawrence Murphy. | The man says he was sexually abused by the late Father Lawrence Murphy. |
Fr Murphy has been accused of abusing up to 200 children during his 20 years at a school for deaf children in Milwaukee. | Fr Murphy has been accused of abusing up to 200 children during his 20 years at a school for deaf children in Milwaukee. |
Mr Lena said in a statement: "While legitimate lawsuits have been filed by abuse victims, this is not one of them." | Mr Lena said in a statement: "While legitimate lawsuits have been filed by abuse victims, this is not one of them." |
He said the lawsuit was "an attempt to use tragic events as a platform for a broader attack" on the Church. | He said the lawsuit was "an attempt to use tragic events as a platform for a broader attack" on the Church. |
The statement added that the Pope, as head of a sovereign state, has diplomatic immunity from prosecution in other countries. | The statement added that the Pope, as head of a sovereign state, has diplomatic immunity from prosecution in other countries. |
'Failed to act' | 'Failed to act' |
The US lawsuit alleges that the Pope - in his former role as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger - and two senior Vatican officials failed to act when the US Church reported the alleged abuse by Fr Murphy in the 1990s. | The US lawsuit alleges that the Pope - in his former role as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger - and two senior Vatican officials failed to act when the US Church reported the alleged abuse by Fr Murphy in the 1990s. |
The Vatican has defended the role of the Pope during the abuse scandal | The Vatican has defended the role of the Pope during the abuse scandal |
The other officials named are Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and former secretary of state Cardinal Angelo Sodano. | The other officials named are Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and former secretary of state Cardinal Angelo Sodano. |
At that time the Pope - as Cardinal Ratzinger - was the head of a Vatican department that considered the Murphy case. | |
Jeff Anderson, the lawyer of the alleged victim, who has not been named, says his client suffered "severe emotional distress" because of a lack of action. | Jeff Anderson, the lawyer of the alleged victim, who has not been named, says his client suffered "severe emotional distress" because of a lack of action. |
He said the Vatican had been negligent. | He said the Vatican had been negligent. |
"What we want the Vatican to do is step up to disgorge the secrets that they have in their files," he told the BBC. | "What we want the Vatican to do is step up to disgorge the secrets that they have in their files," he told the BBC. |
He said his client was not seeking money but wanted the Church "to fundamentally come clean, to come forth with all documents that have evidence of crimes against children for decades". | He said his client was not seeking money but wanted the Church "to fundamentally come clean, to come forth with all documents that have evidence of crimes against children for decades". |
In recent months the Vatican has become embroiled in a wave a sexual abuse allegations against Catholic priests around the world. | In recent months the Vatican has become embroiled in a wave a sexual abuse allegations against Catholic priests around the world. |
On Friday the bishop of the Belgian city of Bruges resigned after admitting sexually abusing a boy earlier in his career. | On Friday the bishop of the Belgian city of Bruges resigned after admitting sexually abusing a boy earlier in his career. |
Bishop Roger Vangheluwe, 73, said the abuse had happened when he was a priest and continued when he started as a bishop, a Vatican statement said. | Bishop Roger Vangheluwe, 73, said the abuse had happened when he was a priest and continued when he started as a bishop, a Vatican statement said. |
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