Cardinal Timothy Dolan alleges that Chubb is neglecting its contractual obligations despite receiving billions in premiums from the archdiocese over the years.

In a letter to the Catholic faithful, Cardinal Dolan explained that the archdiocese has already resolved over 500 cases without insurance coverage. However, approximately 1,400 additional cases remain unresolved.

The archdiocese wishes to settle these claims swiftly but says that Chubb is deliberately avoiding its duty to pay.

"It has always been our wish to expeditiously settle all meritorious claims," the archbishop said.

"However, Chubb, for decades our primary insurance company, even though we have paid them over $2 billion in premiums by today's standards, are now attempting to evade their legal and moral contractual obligation to settle covered claims which would bring peace and healing to victim-survivors."

Dolan harshly criticised Chubb. He claimed the company is falsely arguing that the abuse was "expected or intended" by the Catholic Church. Such a claim, if accurate, would nullify insurance coverage.

Dolan called that argument "false" and "outrageous" and said the insurer is merely trying "to protect their bottom line."

The lawsuit, filed under New York's General Business Law, alleges that Chubb's actions amount to deceptive business practice. It claims the company is failing both the archdiocese and abuse survivors.

Child abuse covered up

Chubb responded with a strong rebuttal and put the onus on the Archdiocese of New York.

"The Archdiocese of New York tolerated, concealed and covered up rampant child sexual abuse for decades" Chubb said in a company statement.

The company also accused the archdiocese of withholding financial information regarding what it knew about the abuse.

Chubb alleged that the archdiocese is attempting to "deflect, hide and avoid responsibility" for its actions and protect its financial resources. The insurer argues that the archdiocese has substantial wealth and is unwilling to provide adequate compensation to the victims.

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)

In New Zealand, the situation involving sexual abuse claims and compensation differs significantly from that in the US. This is due to the no-fault accident insurance scheme managed by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).

Under ACC, anyone who suffers an injury, including mental injury from sexual abuse or assault, can apply for compensation. Victims of sexual abuse do not need to sue individuals or organisations to receive compensation.

The financial burden of compensating victims would fall largely on ACC, not the Church or its insurers.

Sources

Catholic News Agency

Crux Now

"We didn't know the background. We don't do FBI checks on people who want to be buried," Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said during his podcast Tuesday.

He said cathedral staff try to be welcoming when someone requests a funeral.

"All they know is somebody called and said, ‘Our dear friend died. We'd love to have the funeral at St Patrick's Cathedral. It would be a great source of consolation. She's a Catholic. It would be a great source of consolation for us, her family and friends.'

And, of course, the priest at the cathedral said, ‘Come on in. You're more than welcome,'" Dolan said.

Read More

The exhibit, which "maps the queer spiritual journey" and claims that "there is no devil," has upset some parishioners at the Church of St Paul the Apostle, while others are supportive, the New York Post reported.

An archdiocesan spokesperson told Newsweek that it only learned about the exhibit, which is displayed next to a side altar in the church, through media reports.

"We had no knowledge of it beforehand," the spokesperson told the outlet.

Read More

"There is no basis for a priest to issue a religious exemption to the vaccine," John P. Cahill, the archdiocese's chancellor, stated in a memo to all pastors, administrators, and parochial vicars in the archdiocese.

"Pope Francis has made it very clear that it is morally acceptable to take any of the vaccines. He said we have the moral responsibility to get vaccinated. Cardinal Dolan has said the same," the memo stated.

By issuing a religious exemption to the vaccine, a priest would be "acting in contradiction to the directives of the Pope. He would be participating in an act that could have serious consequences to others," the memo stated.

However, in a December 2020 note, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated that "vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation" and "therefore, it must be voluntary."

The Vatican congregation acknowledged "reasons of conscience" for those refusing a vaccine.

Vaccine mandates have begun to be announced at places of employment in the United States.

The Catholic health care network Ascension will mandate coronavirus vaccination for employees, physicians, volunteers, and vendors. But, it has promised some health-related and religious exemptions.

Some Catholic institutions have stated their support for conscience exemptions to vaccine mandates. Some have provided materials for individuals with religious objections to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

"The Roman Catholic Church teaches that a person may be required to refuse a medical intervention. That includes a vaccination, if his or her informed conscience comes to this sure judgment," the letter states.

It added that the Church "does not prohibit the use of any vaccine, and generally encourages the use of safe and effective vaccines as a way of safeguarding personal and public health."

The Catholic Medical Association, a national network of Catholic doctors and health care workers, stated on July 28 that it "opposes mandatory a COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment without conscience or religious exemptions."

Sources

National Catholic Register

Bloomberg Law