The Diocese of San Diego is facing yet another lawsuit regarding clerical sexual abuse cases, this time from its own insurance company.
On Friday, March 3, the Catholic Mutual Relief Society of America, also known as Catholic Mutual Group, filed a lawsuit in federal court against the San Diego diocese, accusing it of violating the terms of its policies. The insurance company claims it is not legally bound to continue paying settlements the diocese reaches with victims of clerical sex abuse.
According to the lawsuit, Catholic Mutual Group accused the diocese of knowing that numerous members of its clergy “had proclivities toward sexual abuse of children such that coverage is precluded.”
The insurance company also alleged that recent diocesan statements about the abuse cases violated the terms of the insurance policy. On Feb. 9, Cardinal Robert McElroy announced to San Diego Catholics that the diocese may be filing for bankruptcy because of the magnitude of the more than 400 cases it was facing, many of which dated to the 1960s through the 1980s. In a news conference the following day, Kevin Eckery, communications director for the diocese, estimated that it would cost the diocese $550 million to settle all of the current cases.
The San Diego Tribune reported that, according to the lawsuit, Catholic Mutual Group is arguing that “those statements were made without consulting with the insurance company, violating the ‘duty to cooperate’ under the policy and ‘effectively placed an unreasonable baseline on the value on the potential settlement value of these claims.’”
The company has asked the judge to order that it has no duty to “defend or indemnify” the Diocese of San Diego or any of its parishes against allegations of clerical sexual abuse dating from 1958 through 1990, the period over which, it appears, the majority of the cases took place. Catholic Mutual Group is arguing that its policies, which were established years ago, effectively capped how much could be paid out.
Eckery responded with surprise to the news of the lawsuit, saying, “We will be opposing this in court….”
Original story from Lifesite News.
Well, well, well. Cardidnal McElroy is not quite as smart as he thinks he is. He didn’t employ his usual clouded language when addressing the impending bankruptcy, and it came back to bite him.
I will be very happy to see the diocese of san diego financially disemboweled as a result of this
stop giving to mcelroy
Will the theme of the next annual diocesan appeal be Big Mc Attack? Why do the good Catholic lay faithful and priests of the diocese have to pay for perversion and abuse that was known about and tolerated for decades (and seems maybe still is?)? And, the Cardinal wants to “bless” gay sex?
If San Diegans keep funding this, you get what you pay for.
Some won’t see the light, until they feel the heat.
I haven’t funded the diocese for years!
The Catholic Church is dishonest. They lie about gay clergy sex predators, and support the “LGBT agenda,” with no moral conscience at all. No genuine commitment to Christ, no guts to stand up for His Truth, and carry out His teachings. Papal favorites continue to dishonestly advocate the “LGBT agenda,” such as Martin, Hollerich, German bishops, Paglia, Cupich, and McElroy– slithering, sleazy, Satanic, deceitful, corrupt “McSnake,” cold-blooded, deadly shark, “Mack the Knife,” with evil, hidden, concealed “pearly white teeth:” “Church Killer.” More deadly than anyone will ever admit to. Let’s see how many Catholic parishes and schools still exist, 25 years from now.
And it is selfish and not fair to deprive our Catholic children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of the authentic, true, orthodox Church, which Christ suffered and died to give us! Where will they all go— with their own spouses and families, someday? Get rid of the immoral, Satanic, deadly sharks in top clerical leadership positions, stealing our Church from us, trying to “change” and kill Christ’s true religion. Christian Morality is an absolute basic in life– you cannot live without it. It does not even matter if you are a Christian, or of any other religion– or of no religion. God’s Laws are universal, you cannot disobey them– and the 10 Commandments that God gave to Moses, are absolute. Morality and discipline are an absolute basic of all life. Crime does not pay. Real Christ-like love for criminals or sinners, means you care enough– with tough love– to teach them how to repent, live a good life, obeying God, and prepare for Eternal Life with God someday, in Heaven. Get rid of the deadly, Satanic sharks, destroying our Church and our country.
Deadly Shark, how can there possibly be a “down vote” to what you say??? All you say is true. The evil McElroy is bringing down the diocese and I question if he even has any remorse…
Peggy, I think lots of people cannot face the fact that sexual immorality is a horrible thing– it destroys people, families, children, communities, churches– as well as entire civilizations.
Sexual immorality has led to the complete collapse and destruction of many civilizations. It is Satanic. Hopefully, by God’s help, we can save our Church and our civilization.
“The Catholic Church is dishonest.” and
“Hopefully, by God’s help, we can save our Church and our civilization”. It can’t be both. Which is it?
We must by God’s help, save our Church and our civilization, from destruction by Evil– by the Culture of Death. You should know all about that! Today, the Diocese of Santa Rosa filed for bankruptcy, with new lawsuits by over 200 child clergy sex abuse survivors– and a list of 14 new priests accused of child sex abuse crimes, for the first time, all in this Diocese. Do you care about that? Yes, our Church has been dishonest regarding child clerical sex abuse cases, in the past! Everybody and his dog knows that. And you?
As I mentioned to the commenter, Peggy– I could care less about “downvotes” from obviously phony, immature “Catholics” with no commitment at all to Christ. The Diocese of Santa Rosa filed for bankruptcy today, with over 200 new cases of poor, suffering, tortured child clergy sex abuse survivors– and 14 new priests accused of child clerical sex abuse! Does anybody care? Sexual sin is horrifically destructive. Sexual sin is Satanic– it is the most evil, selfish, destructive thing on earth. Many dishonest people, even those who pretend to be “good Catholics,” or “good Christians”– cannot face this fact. Do not believe the liberals’ Satanic lies. All through the ages, Satan and his evil cohorts have been at it, trying to trick mankind into sexual sins of every kind– that is one of the oldest, most dishonest– and deadliest!– tricks on earth! Sex was meant by Almighty God for only one very important purpose– Holy Matrimony, of one man and one woman– and bringing forth children into the world, by the hand of God.
A tree is more than its dead branches
http://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_29061943_mystici-corporis-christi.html
So wise.
Wondering if there will be any new Vatican action to sternly discipline evil Jesuit sex predator and nun-rapist, Fr. Marko Rupnik? Just what does the Vatican need, to really care, and protect people from serious dangers of sin and crime? Dangerous clerical sex predators belong in prison, defrocked and excommunicated. Rupnik already was excommunicated latae sententiae (automatic) but I suppose that by Confession to a bishop or the pope, he must have gotten his excommunication lifted– did he also get a stern penance? Why would he be allowed to concelebrate a Mass, if he was still excommunicated? Well, the whole thing is horrible. Just horrible. Deadly shark, filthy, dangerous clerical sex predator, tearing the Catholic Church to pieces, destroying the lives of innocent, holy nuns, and good and decent church-goers. The blood of this unholy shark’s victims screams to God in Heaven, all over the Vatican! How horribly they all must suffer!
From March So.Cross News, p.2: Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, bishop of the Diocese of San Diego, issued the following letter on Feb. 9 to pastors: The letter said that a filing for Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy would be made solely by the diocese “and would not include the parishes and Catholic schools, whose assets are held in their own individual corporations.” Not true. (The assets of each corporation are ultimately under the control of the bishop of San Diego. March So.Cross News, p.2:) Will your donations be used by the diocese? ask your pastor. St.John of the Cross does not have attorneys, and we are not aware of a parish that does.Furthermore, our donations support our parish and are not to be used for the abuses and cover ups and lies by the diocese. The parishioners must have assurance from their pastors that this will not happen, otherwise support will suffer. The parish assets have been held in recent years by individual parish corporations, and before that they were held by the diocese in trust for each particular parish community. Almost without exception in other diocesan bankruptcies, parish assets have remained separate. (The assets of each corporation are ultimately under the control of the bishop of San Diego.) “Our parish donations are not to be used for their underhanded schemes.”
McElroy blundered with this premature announcement (completely throwing Catholic Mutual Group under the bus), and ultimately made things so much worse for parishes, schools, and the parishioners who support the Diocese of San Diego. It’s almost guaranteed that he will require an increase in annual parish financial assessments in order to cover not only the $600 million in outstanding lawsuits, but also this new lawsuit being filed against the Diocese by its own insurance company. It’s a financial and public relations nightmare.