ROME PAYS $110 MILLION TO SETTLE CHILD SEX ABUSE CASES IN IRELAND.

Friday Church News Notes, February 22, 2002 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist
Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143,
fbns@wayoflife.org)  The Roman Catholic Church in Ireland has agreed to pay
$110 million to avoid further sex scandal litigation. More than 20 priests
and members of religious orders have already been convicted of molesting
children, and some estimate there could be as many as 3,000 sex abuse
victims. Those who take money from the Catholic sex abuse fund must agree
to drop legal action against both the Catholic Church and the state. In
1992, Catholic Bishop Eamonn Casey of Ireland fled to South America after
he was found to have fathered an illegitimate son and to have supported him
with church money. In 1994, the ruling Irish government collapsed under
allegations that it hindered the extradition of a priest to Northern
Ireland to face charges of molesting former altar boys. The priest was
eventually convicted of abusing more than 30 children. When I visited
Northern Ireland several years ago to preach in some of the Baptist
churches, I learned that Catholic priests are often called "filthy beasts"
because of their renowned immorality. In searching for used theological
books, I visited Catholic bookstores in Belfast and some had large sections
of pornography for sale.