The Vatican's Outrageous Two-Tier Legal Defense

Easter Sunday mass was supposed to be a joyous event yesterday, yet the Vatican was in full defense mode with a prominent cardinal standing with the pope and denouncing the legal problems for the church as "petty gossip" once again, while the church has been quietly lining up American lawyers to shield the pope from potential lawsuits or even potential prosecution for crimes.

In a Kentucky lawsuit, lawyers hired by the Vatican will argue that the actions of the pope are shielded under "diplomatic immunity" as a head of state. However, Joseph Ratzinger was a cardinal at the time and not yet a pope when American lawyers for abuse victims contend that he played an important role in obstructing justice and preventing bringing an abusing priest to justice.

The Vatican's role seems be running on this two-tier defense: To publicly deny actions that is actively paying lawyers to use the "diplomatic immunity" defense to avoid lawsuits, trials or even prosecution for the past actions of the then cardinal.

As a result of the worsening legal problems for the pope who is a native of Germany, many Catholics have been showing up at government agencies to renounce their faith. Germany charges a church tax to citizens that can only be avoided by residents signing papers renouncing their faith and resigning from churches.

In the U.S., a new USA TODAY/GALLUP Poll found public approval for the pope down to just 40% overall. Among U.S. Catholics, the pope clings on to a higher, but shrinking 61% support numbers. Apparently, it doesn't help to be publicly denying what you're actually paying lawyers to defend against. One of the Ten Commandments is supposed to deal with false witnessing in the legal realm.

The church has certainly had better Easter Sunday's than this one.