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SNAP discusses Archdiocese bankruptcy proceedings
SNAP discusses Archdiocese bankruptcy proceedings
MILWAUKEE -- The Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests on Thursday, December 13th discussed a court hearing held in Federal Bankruptcy Court during which Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki was expected to ask the judge to dismiss nearly 600 cases filed by victims sexually assaulted by clergy of the Milwaukee Archdiocese.
In January of 2011, after dozens of lawsuits were pending in Wisconsin courts for the fraudulent transfer and concealment of sex offending clergy, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Federal Courts, thereby preventing the civil proceedings from moving forward.
At the time, Listecki urged victims to take the difficult and painful step of coming forward to report the sexual abuse they had experienced by priests, nuns, clergy, and employees of the archdiocese. Indeed, the archbishop informed victims that this was their “last call” to seek restitution from the Church.
According to SNAP, in a letter to the Federal Court dated October 22, 2012, the archdiocese wrote: “The Archdiocese strongly believes that all the claims…are not allowable under applicable bankruptcy law.”
SNAP says if the Archdiocese succeeds at dismissing the claims, 120,000 pages of church documents detailing the cover up of thousands of sex crimes by dozens of clergy, and the identities of over 100 newly alleged offenders not yet added to the list of 45 publicly known child sex offenders, will likely remain sealed in Federal Court.
SNAP would like these documents unsealed and made available to the public.
SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims.