‘The Rochester diocese’s move has left many who were promised justice under New York’s Child Victims Act feeling betrayed.’
They were promised justice – not a paycheck.
If the abusing priest goes to jail, that is justice.
If you sued so as to get some cash, that is not justice, that is getting paid.
Humongous difference there.
11
Am I missing something... but what does justice have to do with money?
9
The dioscese is the local office of a multinational organization. I really doubt the entire Catholic Church is bankrupt an unable to pay for these settlements. They should be required to do so.
15
I attended Cardinal Mooney High School in Rochester, NY. I am not in the least surprised this is what the diocese is doing. My school was closed not long after a Brother who taught there was arrested for kidnapping two young boys in the late 80s/early 90s.
12
I knew someone who had been raped by 2 priests. The priests were moved to other parishes. My friend eventually killed himself. Whenever I hear nobody is above the law I think of the Catholic Church. Holier than thous who are dirtier than the people they administer to. I am disgusted. I left almost 50 years ago and am glad I did.
23
Would Jesus declare bankruptcy? Jesus didn't suffer and die to preserve the Church's bankruptcy rights. This demonstrates how the Church's moral compass is hideously broken.
21
The diocese files for bankruptcy: surely the Vatican still has $$ - why can't this case go above to the heart of the corruption? Good evidence Rome new about this, right?
15
Not surprising. Catholicism and its headquarters in Rome is bankrupt. Only the mindless "faithful" continue to contribute to this Ponzi scheme.
21
The Pedophile Protection Agency rolls on…
19
Yep.. bankruptcy stops the discovery process. The church officials main reason for paying big bucks to stop sol reform was to keep their crimes of coverup secret. And bankruptcy is another way to do that.
Judy Jones, SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
13
Christ’s love of humanity can’t be simply smeared by sinner priests who are evils. Truth shall be revealed, which is Vatican’s sole responsibility as God’s Church. Filing bankruptcy due to sexual abuse lawsuits might be the way forward for affected Dioceses.
3
It has always been about the control and the Money...Maybe some equitable taxation legislation will help them to get on the better road...
15
I believe one of the sources of injustice in these cases lies in the ability of each diocese to deal with victims on its own- some deny, some resolve claims, some file for bankruptcy. In truth, they are all connected, and in many cases those connections allowed for priests to be moved around as part of a broad conspiracy of cover-up. If a diocese is to be given the “baptism” of bankruptcy, washing away it’s prior liabilities so it can make a fresh start, perhaps the states should consider requiring a guarantee from the parent corporation. Anyone who has ever toured the Vatican has been stunned by the vast treasures on display. They stand as a catalogue of the church’s historic abuses and would more than cover the monetary damages of its more recent abuses. Holding the parent corporation accountable would also help a bit with the non-monetary remedy.
27
Religion -perhaps the greatest evil man has invented to hurt his fellow man.
42
Does this mean that the victims of abuse can insist on the sale of church assets? That, at least, would seem to be just.
32
New lows continue to be reached. More to come...
31
Everybody knows you can’t sue God. He has executive privilege.
9
The good ol’ Catholic Church, avoiding more responsibility, and hiding behind the courts instead of telling the truth. It’s getting embarrassing to admit you’re a Catholic anymore.
58
This is obscene. Bankruptcy to avoid compensation or JUSTICE for the Victims. This is one of the main reasons I detest
Organized Religion. It’s a scheme, a scam, a fraud. And WE Taxpayers are subsidizing it. Pay your Taxes, then we’ll talk.
Seriously.
47
You didn't think you would see any money did you? This is the same church that gave out sponges as Christmas present when I was a parochial school student.
12
Plaintiffs should sue the individuals who committed sexual abuse. I expect that in many cases, those individuals have assets and perhaps insurance, available to pay claims.
13
One of the purposes of the bankruptcy laws is to protect debtors with insufficient assets from being overwhelmed by litigation. The automatic stay puts virtually all civil litigation against the debtor under the control of the bankruptcy court in which the bankruptcy is pending.
Seems to me that the Rochester diocese is using the bankruptcy laws in the way that they were designed to be used. The problem here is that some of the plaintiffs may be looking for something more than the compensation that civil litigation is designed to provide (e.g., transparency).
15
@Joel
You're obfuscating. "Transparency" includes establishing who did what to whom and how the institution fostered continued wrongdoing, an entirely fair part of determining "compensation." Bankruptcy, as described in this article, shifts the focus from the wrongdoers to the wronged, i.e., ranking them by the harm they suffered to determine their share of the pool.
Filing for bankruptcy nicely symbolizes the church's moral bankruptcy. It is another outrage inflicted on the victims.
28
@bob A claimant still has to establish the debtor's liability in a bankruptcy proceeding, so the same matters are still at issue. It's true that the bankruptcy court may not tolerate the same theatrics that often occur in state court litigation.
6
@Joel
Not to mention the theatrics that occur every Sunday at church!!
7
When people say it's not about the money, it usually is about the money. If it's really about transparency, would the victims be satisfied with administrative hearings that could lead to establishment of culpability and the church's acknowledgement of and apology for the past crimes of its priests?
9
@PWR
Even if it's about the money it's not just about getting the money, it's about the wrongdoers being identified and made to pay. The victims, who were assaulted as children with the connivance of the Catholic church, an astounding series of betrayals, are perfectly justified in demanding both transparency and full compensation. "Administrative hearings"? What a sad joke.
19
@bob
The wrongdoers should be identified and often can be. They can and should be punished for their acts, if possible through criminal prosecution and jail time, if convicted. But money isn't always a satisfactory or, in this case, an available means of retributive justice.
Still, the bankruptcy rules I'm familiar with don't fully shield the entity from all claims and debts. Unless there's some kind of exemption for religious organizations, maybe the court might require the diocese to sell off assets to pay claimants.
4
@bob
Well said. Thank you, bob.
3