MECHANICSBURG (PA)
PennLive
July 9, 2018
By Ivey DeJesus
When they take their vows, Catholic priests make two promises: to be celibate and to obey. They are expected to lead simple lives. (Only religious order priests take vows of poverty.)
So where does a priest get the money to hire a high-power attorney?
The answer underscores the long-standing patterns that have emerged nationwide and even worldwide in the decades-old clergy sex abuse scandal.
“They are not paying for it themselves. Of that I’m sure,” said Charles Zech, director of the Center for Church Management and Business Ethics at Villanova University.
There are several possible funding sources, he said. The dioceses, or religious orders, even pro bono work, but that’s not likely.
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