Spokane Settlement
By Priya Jestin, Staff Writer
What’s with the church and me? Bankruptcy of course!! Sorry for getting off track. So, getting back to the churches and molestation cases, latest news has it that the Spokane Catholic Diocese has agreed to pay at least $48 million to people molested by priests as a part of a deal to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The plan still needs to be approved by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Patricia Williams and the victims of sexual abuse, who are considered creditors. The Spokane diocese is one of four across the country that have been unable to withstand the tide of abuse claims and filed for bankruptcy protection. $20 million from six insurance carriers would finance the settlement.
Another $18 million will come from the sale of the bishop’s office building and other assets and contributions from other Catholic entities. The final $10 million will be got from the diocese’s 82 parishes.
In addition to the monetary part of the deal, Spokane Bishop William Skylstad will also have to personally visit each parish where children were abused to urge parishioners to come forward with claims of abuse. Skylstad will be required to send letters of apology to victims or their immediate families, to publish the names of all known abusers, allow victims to publicly address the parishes where they were sexually abused and to publish their stories in the diocesan newspaper.
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January 11th, 2007 at 12:11 am
It’s good to know that they will compensate the victims of sexual abuse. However, what about the punishment to be meted out to the culprits. Also, does anybody care how the children are going to cope with the life hereafter?