“Lawsuit Against Catholic Church Names Pope as Defendant”

According to the New York Times, the latest lawsuit filed against the Catholic Church has gone all the way to the top and named Pope Benedict XVI as a defendant. The lawsuit was filed by a man who was one of many abused by Rev. Lawrence Murphy from 1952 to 1974. The plaintiff claims Vatican officials were warned in a letter in 1995, pleading for the church to “excommunicate” the priest. The plaintiff, who named various high-ranking Catholic officials as well and the Pope in his lawsuit, said he never got a response from the church. The suit seeks to force the Vatican to release files with the names of priests who have admitted abusing children.