MILWAUKEE – A federal U.S. judge is asking the Vatican to cooperate in serving the pope and two other top officials with court papers that stem from decades-old allegations of sexual abuse by a priest in Wisconsin.

The request is an incremental step in a lawsuit that accuses the officials of conspiring to keep the allegations against the Milwaukee priest quiet. The Vatican is not obliged to comply with the request.

*

Jeffrey Lena, the Vatican's U.S.-based attorney, said he hadn't seen the court request and couldn't comment on whether the Vatican would comply with it.

*

Lena has called the lawsuit a publicity stunt and said it rehashes theories already rejected by U.S. courts.

Read all about it...

* * * * *

That Judge is either courageous or stupid to take on the Pope. He can bluster and tell the Pope "You're going to jail." And the Pope will just play the diplomatic immunity card as head of state of the Vatican.

On the other hand, if the Pope gets annoyed and tells the judge "You're going to hell." Well, if I were the judge, I'd give away all my cold weather clothes.