It claims Pope Benedict XVI and two other top Vatican officials knew about allegations of sexual abuse at St. John's School for the Deaf outside Milwaukee and called off internal punishment of the accused priest, the Rev. Lawrence Murphy.
In October a U.S. federal judge asked the Vatican to cooperate in the serving of court papers. The Vatican was not obliged to comply with the request.
The lawsuit contends Joseph Ratzinger, who is now Pope Benedict XVI; Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, and his predecessor, Cardinal Angelo Sodano conspired to keep quiet decades of abuse allegations against Murphy.
Murphy, who died in 1998, has been alleged to have sexually abuse some 200 boys
Vatican argues it's not liable for clerical sex-abuse cases under canon law and a church structure that holds bishops — and not Rome — responsible for disciplining pedophile priests
Vatican served with court docs in Wis. abuse case - US news - msnbc.com
The following note was attached to the summons and other legal documents from the Wisconsin court. The note may foretell that diplomatic immunity maybe claimed by the Vatican. Click on the photocopy to enlarge.
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