Denver Newsroom, Oct 13, 2022 / 17:04 pm
Lamenting the damage that abusive Catholic clergy have caused to sexual abuse victims, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe has submitted its reorganization plan to a bankruptcy judge. The plan includes a proposed $121.5 million settlement for victims and disclosure of Church documents about sexual abuse.
“For many years, clergy members within the Church violated the sacred trust placed in them by families, children, and the Church by committing acts of sexual abuse,” the Archdiocese of Santa Fe said in one bankruptcy filing on Oct. 11. “This was left unaddressed for decades. Survivors of abuse were ignored, called liars, shamed and felt abandoned by their Church. This conduct is contrary to the teaching and traditions of the Church.”
The archdiocese had announced the massive proposed settlement in May but submitted the filings on Tuesday, the Albuquerque Journal reported. Six insurers will cover $46.5 million of the $121.5 million from the Santa Fe Archdiocese. The archdiocese’s portion of the bill is $75 million, including a $5.4 million promissory note that must be paid by March 31.
The Congregation of the Servants of the Paraclete, which was facing about 80 claims in New Mexico State Court, will contribute $4 million by itself. It will contribute another $7.85 million in combination with three religious orders that have faced civil lawsuits for clergy abuse.