Did we pay Al Capone's lawyers?

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Sep 05, 2005

If you've reached the conclusion that no one could possibly be more ham-handed than the US bishops have been in responding to sex-abuse allegations, maybe it's time for you to visit the Diocese of Ferns, in Ireland.

In Ferns, the complaints have been getting louder for several years now. Bishop Brendan Comiskey resigned under fire in 2002; he still hasn't been replaced.

The diocese agreed to a government probe, leading up to an official report which is now overdue. By all accounts, the report will be savage in its criticism of diocesan officials.

So what does the diocesan leadership do, to batten down the hatches before the storm strikes?

They send the government a bill, asking to be compensated for the legal costs of the inquiry that found them guilty.