Keith Girard
(Photo: INFDaily)
“This case has been settled and the agreement has been signed,” said lawyer Jonathan Wolfe announcing the decision.
“We are thrilled for Katie and her family and are excited to watch as she embarks on the next chapter of her life,” he told gossip site TMZ. “We thank Tom’s counsel for their professionalism and diligence that helped bring about this speedy resolution.”
The statement also seemed to confirm that religious differences, and how their child Suri Cruise would be raised were at the heart of the decision. The statement said the couple “express our respect for each other’s commitment to each of our respective beliefs.”
Holmes was raised as a Roman Catholic, but converted to Scientology when she married Cruise in 2006. Holmes had demanded total custody of Suri and unspecified child support and alimony.
“We are committed to working together as parents to accomplish what is in our daughter Suri’s best interests,” the statement continued. “We want to keep matters affecting our family private and express our respect for each other’s commitment to each of our respective beliefs and support each other’s roles as parents.”
Cruise is a devout believer in the pseudo-religion and its many strict tenets about child rearing. The church’s practices clearly would have been put o trial in nasty public divorce.
Suri is under no obligation to partake in any Scientology-related activity, according to radaronline. “Katie made sure that this was ironclad in the agreement,” a source told the gossip site.
“Katie could blow Scientology wide open. If Tom’s smart, he won’t fight her on anything, even custody. He should just try to settle his way out of it,” said ex-Scientologist Marty Rathbun, who left the church in 2004 after 22 years. “You’re either in or out when it comes to Scientology.”
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