Catholic Cleric Argues For Revival of Charitable Immunity Doctrine

Chicago's Auxiliary Catholic Bishop, Thomas Paprocki, has suggested that courts should revive some doctrine of charitable immunity to protect churches from ruinous judgments in clergy sex abuse cases. Today's Chicago Tribune reports that Paprocki will speak on the topic later this month at the University of Notre Dame. He argues: "The settlement or award of civil damages is punishing the wrong people, namely the average parishioner or donor whose financial contributions support the church but who have no role in the supervision of clergy."