Catholic order to pay $16.5 million to more than 400 claiming sex abuse

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

NEW YORK | Thu May 23, 2013 5:20pm EDT

(Reuters) - An order of the Roman Catholic Church has agreed to pay $16.5 million to more than 400 adults who said they were sexually abused as children by religious leaders, the parties announced on Thursday in separate statements.

The victims claimed abuse at schools and child-care facilities belonging to the Christian Brothers and the Christian Brothers of Ireland, Inc, in 17 U.S. states and Canada from the late 1940s or early 1950s until the 1980s, said James Stang, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs.

The settlement agreement reached in U.S. bankruptcy court also enables the victims to pursue more assets from the Christian Brothers such as real estate or insurance claims, Stang said.

A committee representing the accusers, who claimed abuse by mostly brothers of the order, agreed to the settlement terms.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/23/us-usa-abuse-catholics-idUSBRE94M17J20130523

[Cirque du So-What]

1. They shoulda stuck to making brandy

and stayed out of the schooling bidness - especially with a predilection for children...but that's pedophiles for ya.

[rug]

2. That's a different Congregation, the DeLasalle Christian Brothers.

[Cirque du So-What]

4. Good to know

Now I don't have to boycott their brandy.

[Mrs. Overall]

3. This order is NOT the Christian Brothers known in CA for their wine making/educational institutions

This Irish group of Christian Brothers is not the De La Salle (French) Christian Brothers who have numerous educational institutions throughout California and in other west coast states.

The Irish group has a very different charism that is associated with corporal punishment among other things.

I attended a De La Salle Christian Brothers high school and received a wonderful education. The brothers were kind, balanced, and dedicated to social justice as well as church renewal.

[caraher]

5. I attended a Christian Brothers of Ireland school from 1978-1982

There were many dedicated brothers who were fine and genuinely caring teachers (though most of my teachers were not Brothers; they weren't even all Catholic). I witnessed no abuse. But I now know it happened.

In fact, my graduating class voted to award the annual prize prize for what amounts to favorite teacher to a brother who has now served time in jail for possession of child porn and for sexual abuse of students. I had this teacher my sophomore year in "theology" class (our school's name for what was really just a Catholicism class). He really came off as very honest and genuine. We had a brief "sex ed" part of the course, of which I remember very little beyond the initial assignment to "write 500 words about sex" and his speech about abstinence, which went something like this: "You guys only need to refrain until your early 20s, while look at me - I took lifetime vows. And yeah, I think about sex all the time! So if I can do it surely you guys can too." Somewhere in there was a speech about lusting after Olivia Newton-John. But apparently he had a thing for high school boys as well...

I wonder how many of my classmates were among his victims. I received letters as the lawsuit proceeded and was mostly thankful not to have standing to join the suit...

[defacto7]

6. That's what? a little over $40,000 each?

Minus lawyers that's about $2.32. Doesn't seem like much.

[hrmjustin]

7. I noticed that as well but I guess the acknowledgment that this happened is what counts more.

[defacto7]

8. Understood! n/t