Vermont Diocese with $8.7M Abuse Verdict Can’t Find Insurance Policy

June 23, 2008

  • June 24, 2008 at 1:17 am
    lastbat says:
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    RG – we shouldn’t accept decades of wait. That’s what’s a crock. These people waited decades until money started being handed out. If they truly wanted it to stop, if they wanted action, if they wanted to put their lives back together, they would have spoken up years ago. My family is nothing special. The difference between me and these schmucks is that I just wanted the right thing done. It’s easy. You talk to a trusted adult, they call the cops, you talk to a few more people and after all the embarrasment is over you’re free.

    Stuff like this doesn’t have to haunt you and scar you for life. You remember, but you don’t have to let it affect you. I don’t think they deserve the money, they deserve to be told that if they’ve dealt with it for 20 or 30 years they can just bloody well go on dealing with it. It’s people like this that create a victim mentality and cause more people to crash instead of keeping themselves together and getting over the bad things that life tosses you. My vote is we eliminate the word “victim” from the lexicon. Eliminate the word and eliminate the sentiment.

    I get upset when people claim they don’t have the strength to go on with a normal life, but if society would just give them tons of cash, or welfare, or something they don’t have to work for, that they’ll be okay. No. People need a good swift kick in the arse and to be told that they’ll be fine.

    Sorry. I’ll get off my soapbox now.

  • June 23, 2008 at 2:16 am
    Dread says:
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    There should be no monetary awards to people who come crawling out of the woodwork after 30 years nor should their suits be allowed. They have had sufficient time and opportunity to raise their issue and failed to do so. It doesen’t take anyone 30 years to speak out if it’s really an issue with them. Only, now, when there’s money involved, are they bellying up to the trough. In this latest case there is no allegation of damages and since “it’s never about the money”, why ask for any? These people should be satisfied that the Catholic church is finally taking proactive steps to address the problem. I find it curious that haven’t been any recent allegations of abuse……….just these dusty, musty cases that are piling on for the money.

  • June 23, 2008 at 2:36 am
    LJS says:
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    The reason the Dioceses are finally taking any steps in their musty old problem is because it’s hurting them in the purse strings. So much for proactivity – but please blame it on the victim moving sooo slowly. They deserve nothing? We can see where the love of money began and remains.

  • June 23, 2008 at 2:41 am
    Jenn says:
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    Let’s all cry and feel sorry for the Catholic Church after they ignored the fact that priests were molesting young boys for years. Now they have to pay…. no money doesn’t make up for what these people went through but it’s enough to make the Church wake up and maybe put a stop to it! There is plenty of money tied up in real estate. Where I live, the Catholic Diocese owns a mansion on the coast – sell that to start with!

  • June 23, 2008 at 2:48 am
    Alan says:
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    There’s a statute of limitations for everything else and these kinds situations should be no different. How long should it take a child or adult to decide they must come forward and report abuse? 20-30 YEARS? I don’t buy that nonsense. That is unreasonable by any standard. The fact that these “people” are making an issue of it now coincides with monetary awards that started to be made. Money heals nothing. It’s a myth created by plaintiff lawyers that money grubbing people swallowed hook, line, and sinker. Pay their shrink expenses (if any), otherwise apologize and take precautions to prevent future recurrences. I have to agree w/Dread that we haven’t heard of any recent allegations which leads me to believe these were “sins of the past”. These people need to get on with their lives.

  • June 23, 2008 at 2:56 am
    Eli says:
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    Jenn: nobody’s suggesting anybody feel sorry for the Catholics, but you don’t indict a reglion over the acts of a few misguided persons. In the large scheme of things, the number of priests who were involved is miniscule. And your comments smack of a grudge since you advocate selling assets to throw money at these claimants. The Catholic church isn’t the only church with a few assets. The unfortunate reality is our legal system is inadequate. It’s only rememdy is throwing money at people. Sad commentary.

  • June 23, 2008 at 3:15 am
    TP says:
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    There’s NO right for the money, but I do agree with justice. As far as 30 years later, if you yourself or anyone in your life has EVER been sexually abused as a child, then you may understand how it could take so long. Especially since he was suppose to be the closest person to God! For those of you who’ve never been or don’t know anyone who hasn’t, the only thing you need to comment about is the money situation and keep your mouth shut about the rest…mainly the timeframe!

  • June 23, 2008 at 3:16 am
    LJS says:
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    The number of priests involved isn’t miniscule. The Catholic Religion created an environment for pervasive perversion by not allowing their priests to marry (based on greed). They covered it up and allowed it to continue – based on greed. And now it is finally time to pay. (And who’s to say current settlements don’t call for gag order clauses.) If they weren’t paying now would they have tried to fix the problem??

  • June 23, 2008 at 3:18 am
    Ric says:
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    I think the reality of the situation is evident in these posts:

    1) The Catholic Chuch was hiding these issues and was going to do nothing until “hit in the purse”
    2) Those harmed should be compensated fairly.
    3) The award here is completely out of proportion to the damages. This size award is for individuals with, for instance, massive brain damage or spinal injuries forever changing their lives.
    4) The award is punitive, but hurts current church members way more than it will ever hurt the perpetrators.
    5) Should be appealed as far as they can take it.

  • June 23, 2008 at 3:23 am
    RG says:
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    Hey Ric-so in your number 3 you’re saying that sexual abuse doesn’t FOREVER change someone’s life, like a massive brain injury? You’re living in a fairytale…just because it isn’t physical and can’t be seen doesn’t mean that it doesn’t do damage EVERY DAY. Perhaps I should have told my molester to cut off my arm instead of repeatedly raping me and then I would have invoked a little more sympathy from folks like you because you could have “seen” the damage.



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