Odd Discovery

[Sojourner]

So, this past weekend, my husband and I used a gift certificate we'd received for our wedding at a bed and breakfast in a nearby town (Stillwater, for those who are from here). The place was absolutely fabulous. A meticulously renovated Victorian mansion and carriage house, with each room done in tribute to a famous author. The food was amazing, service wonderful, amenities marvelous.

Because we were there on the 4th, the owners, a husband and wife, invited all the guests to their house, a little over a block away, to watch fireworks. Their house, a similarly restored Victorian mansion, sits on a bluff overlooking the river where the fireworks were shot off. We had a marvelous time and really enjoyed the room and the time to ourselves.

My husband was curious about what the owner guy did for a living, but we didn't have a chance to ask him during our brief conversations with him. So, I googled him when we got home, and it turns out he's a lawyer. A lawyer who's made a lot of money pursuing civil sex abuse cases against the Church. That discovery definitely took some of the sheen off the weekend. We'd been thinking we might go back next year, but I'm not sure I want to after learning that ...

[eagle_eye222001]

Nothing like ruining a really good weekend. Good thing you didn't ask him there. That could have gone really awkward real fast.

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[Angel*Star]

I guess you never know. I wonder, did he know you are Catholic?

[Sojourner]

[quote name='Angel*Star' post='1912209' date='Jul 5 2009, 09:04 PM']I guess you never know. I wonder, did he know you are Catholic?[/quote]
I don't think so. It never came up in conversation, and we didn't go to Mass this morning (went in the evening).

There was no indication in any of the information about the Inn that indicated his profession. I'm assuming that he keeps the two ventures as separate as possible.

[Brother Adam]

You could always go next 4th, get yourself invited over again, and preach the Gospel.

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Brother Adam' post='1912262' date='Jul 6 2009, 12:32 AM']You could always go next 4th, get yourself invited over again, and preach the Gospel.[/quote]

For all you know, he may be a Christian... maybe even a Catholic himself. He could actually be a very good guy, but you don't know until you get to know him.

[Nihil Obstat]

I would imagine that a good Catholic could, in perfectly good conscience, be involved in the prosecution for those cases. After all, priests aren't above the law. Unless there's something I'm missing.

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1912421' date='Jul 6 2009, 08:52 AM']I would imagine that a good Catholic could, in perfectly good conscience, be involved in the prosecution for those cases. After all, priests aren't above the law. Unless there's something I'm missing.[/quote]



Although you could argue whether the law is fair (or allows for compensations that are too big), and if you think it's not, it wouldn't necessarily be a good thing to pursue it as far as it will go.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1912421' date='Jul 6 2009, 12:52 AM']I would imagine that a good Catholic could, in perfectly good conscience, be involved in the prosecution for those cases. After all, priests aren't above the law. Unless there's something I'm missing.[/quote]
Criminal prosecution is one thing. That results in jail time for the priest and others involved. This guy is a civil attorney, so he saw a financial windfall coming when he began to hear about the abuse. He gets a percentage of the settlements or civil victories when the Church is sued because of abuse allegations.

My husband and I were talking about it earlier, and while we definitely acknowledge that priests and bishops did wrong, there is still something unsavory about exploiting that situation for financial gain.

Edited July 6, 2009 by Terra Firma

[homeschoolmom]

And so... what would you have done if you'd known before you went?

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1912421' date='Jul 6 2009, 12:52 AM']I would imagine that a good Catholic could, in perfectly good conscience, be involved in the prosecution for those cases. After all, priests aren't above the law. Unless there's something I'm missing.[/quote]

Priests should be tried before an ecclesiastical court, not a civil one.

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1912507' date='Jul 6 2009, 08:55 AM']Priests should be tried before an ecclesiastical court, not a civil one.[/quote]
Not according to the civil authorities who have jurisdiction over criminal cases.

[Gregorius]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1912507' date='Jul 6 2009, 08:55 AM']Priests should be tried before an ecclesiastical court, not a civil one.[/quote]

[Gregorius]

Here in the United States, lawyers can now receive up to half of the earnings won in court. So when someone complains that billions of dollars were payed out by the church in these cases, tell them that's because of the outrageous sums lawyers ask for nowadays, not because of a large number of victims.

A unicorn, an honest lawyer, and a leprechaun are walking down a street and they see a $20 bill laying on the ground. Who gets the money?

[Sojourner]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1912505' date='Jul 6 2009, 07:53 AM']And so... what would you have done if you'd known before you went?[/quote]
I'm honestly not sure. We were given the certificate as a gift, and really the time we spent together was good for us. My husband even enjoyed it, and he previously would have poo-pooed B&B's out of hand. I think we probably would have gone, since the money was already spent and was non-refundable.

I don't know whether we would do the same one again though. We're not going next week or anything, so we have time to think about it.