Portland Archdiocese Declares Bankruptcy

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » 2004-07-06 11:43pm

BBC News wrote: Claims 'bankrupt US archdiocese'

By Robert Piggott
BBC Religious affairs correspondent

A Roman Catholic archdiocese in the US is to declare bankruptcy because it cannot meet the cost of claims by people allegedly abused by its priests.

The Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, will be the first in the US to do so.

The action will suspend the start of a civil trial of a priest accused of molesting more than 50 boys.

Other US Roman Catholic dioceses are also facing bankruptcy, or have had to sell property, to meet the cost of abuse claims brought against priests.

Thousands of priests across the US are alleged to have abused young people over several decades.

The Archdiocese of Portland has already settled claims by some 130 people who say they were abused by priests, paying out more than $53m.

The current claim, for three times that sum, concerns alleged abuse by the late Reverend Maurice Grammond, who was accused of assaulting more than 50 boys in the 1980s.

Lost prestige

Dozens of other claims are pending.

Chapter 11 bankruptcy - the legal term for the action taken by the Portland Archdiocese - gives an organisation freedom from legal action by creditors while it reorganises.

Archbishop John Vlazny of Portland said the archdiocese pot of gold was pretty much empty - a claim dismissed by the plaintiffs.

Other dioceses, such as Tucson in Arizona, have said they are considering bankruptcy, and the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in New Mexico has had to borrow from parish savings accounts to avoid the step.

Boston, one of the largest archdioceses in America and the place where the sex abuse scandal began more than two years ago, opted to sell property instead.

Throughout the US, sex abuse cases have cost more than $650m but the Church is also paying a heavy price in lost prestige and damage to its moral authority.

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2004-07-06 11:48pm

Holy shit. Their unseemly little problem is a lot more widespread than I thought.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-07-06 11:51pm

How many mints does God run again?

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2004-07-06 11:53pm

Durandal wrote:How many mints does God run again?

As many as the legions of army under his command...

[Was that properly cryptic?]

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-07-06 11:57pm

I believe it was "divisions," but close enough.

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2004-07-06 11:59pm

Durandal wrote:How many mints does God run again?

Everyone knows God is broke. That's why 12% of my Dad's gross income is necessary to keep him afloat. Apparently Heaven has some steep utility rates, or the angels demand an exorbitant monthly salary.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-07-07 01:27am

Holy shit, this is huge here. Some of this stuff has never seen the light of day in court. Assets are going to need to be sold: are local parishes the property of the Diocese? What happens when the books are opened to the public? What happens when a court-appointed person takes some control over the Diocese?

One fascinated Catholic watching over here.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-07-07 01:57am

What is an Archdiocese ?

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2004-07-07 02:01am

evilcat4000 wrote:What is an Archdiocese ?

The district under an archbishop's administration.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-07-07 02:05am

Ah thanks. I am rather ignorant about this kind of things.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2004-07-07 02:05am

Lazy Raptor wrote:
evilcat4000 wrote:What is an Archdiocese ?
The district under an archbishop's administration.

Usually the size of a city, like the Archdiocese of New York or a large area of a rural community.