San Diego prelate directs diocese to file for moral bankruptcy

Recently, the Catholic Diocese of San Diego announced that it was considering entering financial bankruptcy in light of additional lawsuits brought against it by victims of sexual abuse. (The diocese already paid $198 million to settle 144 claims, but new legislation has extended the statute of limitations, which brought an additional 400 suits.) It is perhaps worth noting that none of the suits involve anyone currently serving in the diocese. But it is also perhaps worth noting that Cardinal McElroy made that announcement just a week after proposing that “judgmentalism is the worst sin in the Christian life” — as opposed to, say, sexual abuse. “It just seemed like the right time to start talking about taking a gentler approach toward sexual sin,” he said by way of explanation. “Especially since we pretty much tossed away our moral authority to condemn it over the past 100 years or so.”