From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Thu May 25 2023
Oakland Catholics Declare Bankruptcy Over Abuse Lawsuits
Critics Say Bankruptcy Stiff-Arms Sexual Abuse Survivors by Limiting Their Options in Court
On May 8, the Catholic Diocese of Oakland announced that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Northern District of California, as a direct result of facing over 330 child sexual abuse lawsuits. The diocese has faced several similar lawsuits in the past and paid out tens of millions of dollars to survivors, but a new California law passed in 2019 temporarily lifted the statute of limitations on institutional abuse lawsuits, leading to hundreds of new civil suits over sexual abuse dating back to the 1960s. Bishop Michael Barber fought AB218 all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court and lost last year. The Diocese of Santa Rosa filed for bankruptcy protection two months ago.
SNAP, a network of survivors of institutional sexual abuse and their supporters, writes: Everything about this bankruptcy strikes us as wrong. It is all about keeping money and secrets. From one coast to the other, the same ruse is being used by Catholic bishops. Minimize and cover-up child sex crimes, while keeping abusers in ministry. Then, fight against changes to the statute of limitations which would expose those crimes. Finally, when secular laws provide a window to justice, go to federal bankruptcy courts and pretend that they are out of money. The Diocese of Oakland is surely morally bankrupt, it seems to us, but they do not deserve to be declared financially bankrupt. The Diocese owns a Cathedral worth $200 million. It has hundreds of acres of land in Piedmont, Orinda, Lafayette, and Danville. Except for character and integrity, it is not poor.
Bankruptcy filing for Diocese of Oakland over clergy child sexual abuse lawsuits | SNAP statement on Oakland diocese bankruptcy
Related Feature: St. Mary's Sunday Mass Disrupted, Catholic Patriarchy Denounced
SNAP, a network of survivors of institutional sexual abuse and their supporters, writes: Everything about this bankruptcy strikes us as wrong. It is all about keeping money and secrets. From one coast to the other, the same ruse is being used by Catholic bishops. Minimize and cover-up child sex crimes, while keeping abusers in ministry. Then, fight against changes to the statute of limitations which would expose those crimes. Finally, when secular laws provide a window to justice, go to federal bankruptcy courts and pretend that they are out of money. The Diocese of Oakland is surely morally bankrupt, it seems to us, but they do not deserve to be declared financially bankrupt. The Diocese owns a Cathedral worth $200 million. It has hundreds of acres of land in Piedmont, Orinda, Lafayette, and Danville. Except for character and integrity, it is not poor.
Bankruptcy filing for Diocese of Oakland over clergy child sexual abuse lawsuits | SNAP statement on Oakland diocese bankruptcy
Related Feature: St. Mary's Sunday Mass Disrupted, Catholic Patriarchy Denounced
2024-04-24
From Coast to Coast, Students Set Up Encampments in Solidarity with Palestinians
Front Page
| Anti-War
| Education & Student Activism
| East Bay
| Peninsula
| North Bay / Marin
| North Coast
| California
| U.S.
| International
| Palestine2024-04-09
Deal Described as One of the Most Significant Urban Land Back Victories in US History
Front Page
| Environment & Forest Defense
| Racial Justice
| East Bay2024-03-20
Victory! EFF Helps Indybay Resist San Francisco Police Warrant and Gag Order
Front Page
| Police State & Prisons
| Media Activism & Independent Media
| San Francisco2024-02-09
Catholic Anti-Choice Marchers Get an Earful from Abortion Rights Activists in San Francisco
Front Page
| Health, Housing & Public Services
| Womyn
| San Francisco
| South Bay
| U.S.2024-01-10
Wall of Shipping Containers Intended to Keep the Public Out of People's Park
Front Page
| Police State & Prisons
| Environment & Forest Defense
| Global Justice & Anti-Capitalism
| Education & Student Activism
| East Bay
| California2023-12-08
Largest Ever Pro-Palestine Marches in NorCal Demand End to US Aid for Israel's War on Gaza
Front Page
| Anti-War
| Central Valley
| San Francisco
| South Bay
| Peninsula
| U.S.
| International
| Palestine
| Santa Cruz Indymedia2023-10-31
Three Activists Detained at Climate Protest for Crossing Beale Air Force Base Gate
Front Page
| Environment & Forest Defense
| Anti-War
| Central Valley
| California
| U.S.2023-09-29
California Climate Justice Actions in Coordination with Massive New York City March
Front Page
| Environment & Forest Defense
| Central Valley
| California2023-08-19
Environmentalists Speak Out Against Airport Expansion as Climate Disasters Accelerate
Environment & Forest Defense
| East Bay2023-08-12
Starbucks Bus Tour Stops in San Francisco, Rallies with Allies to Support Unionization
Labor & Workers
| San Francisco
| Peninsula
| California
| U.S.2023-07-19
Halt to Fossil Fuel Funding Demanded as Wells Fargo Operations Shut Down
Environment & Forest Defense
| Global Justice & Anti-Capitalism
| San Francisco
| U.S.
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network