Happy With Ratzinger! (No, Really!)

Pope Sued, Accused Of Sex Coverup

(AP) A lawyer who's suing Pope Benedict for allegedly covering up the sexual abuse of children by a seminarian says he'll challenge U.S. diplomatic recognition of the Vatican if the pope is given immunity as a head of state.

In the Texas civil lawsuit, Joseph Ratzinger -- now Pope Benedict -- is accused of conspiring with the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston to cover up the abuse of three boys during the mid-1990s.

Attorney Daniel Shea, who's representing one of three boys suing the pope, told reporters in Rome that President Bush should ignore a Vatican request to confirm Benedict's immunity.

Otherwise, Shea says he'll challenge the constitutionality of U.S. recognition of the Vatican as a sovereign state, although similar court challenges have failed in the past.

Well, don't that beat all? I don't suppose there will ever be an end to this scandal. Anyone out there who want's to beat up Benedict XVI or the Church can always reach for the priestly sex-abuse crudgel so they can extort a few dollars or just whack a few knots on the local pastor's (or in this case the Universal Pastor) head.

CBS News | Pope Sued, Accused Of Sex Coverup | August 17, 2005�23:30:07

Labels: Catholic, Catholicism

posted by Norm Johnson @ 2:22 PM