Vatican Rejects Suit over Milwaukee Priest's Abuse, by Ariel Shapiro, Daily Cardinal, January 31, 2011

Vatican Rejects Suit over Milwaukee Priest's Abuse

By Ariel Shapiro
Daily Cardinal
January 31, 2011

http://www.dailycardinal.com/news/vatican-rejects-suit-over-milwaukee-priest-s-abuse-1.1949731

The Vatican rejected a suit alleging the Pope and two Cardinals covered up abuses by Father Lawrence Murphy.

The Vatican rejected a lawsuit brought by a man who was allegedly sexually abused by a priest at St. John's School for the Deaf in Milwaukee, according to the victim's attorney.

According to Jeff Anderson and Associates, a St. Paul-based law firm handling the case, the suit requested to name Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinals Bertone and Sodano as defendants for allegedly covering up Father Lawrence Murphy's abuse, but the request was sent back by FedEx.

Anderson said in a statement he is concerned by the Vatican's reaction and that the institution sees itself as "above the law."

Vatican Attorney Jeffrey Lena told the Associated Press that the lawsuit should be served through diplomatic channels.

Anderson also called for New York Archbishop and previous Archbishop of Milwaukee Timothy Dolan to get involved in the process.

This is not the first attempt by somebody in the U.S. judicial system to hold the Vatican accountable. In October 2010, Milwaukee district court Judge Rudolph T. Randa served a summons to the Pope and two other Vatican officials over Murphy's alleged crimes.