If you have a dispute with your brother
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If you have a dispute with your brother

The Diocese of San Bernadino, California, has filed a civil lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Boston because it did not disclose Paul Shanley’s misdeeds when he moved to the California diocese. It’s the first lawsuit filed in a civil court by one US diocese against another. Perhaps someone in the chanceries needs to re-read 1 Cor 6:

When one of you has a grievance against a brother, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? ... I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no man among you wise enough to decide between members of the brotherhood, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?

Some might say that such action is necessary to avoid legal liability in lawsuits, but who’s running the dioceses? Lawyers or bishops? What message does this send to the faithful? They’ll know we are Christians by our legal briefs, I guess. This is a serious blow to the unity of the Church and I would expect Rome to step in and do something about it. But which Rome would be at work here? The one intent on blaming the US for Saddam Hussein’s evil or the one letting the Scandal stew in the US Church? (And by Rome I mean the curia. It is not aimed at Pope John Paul.)

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