Abuse crisis, leadership failure seen having impact on church giving

The Catholic Church in the United States has spent a staggering amount of money - close to $4 billion in the past 20 years - to investigate, adjudicate and prevent clergy sex abuse, and to compensate victims for the harm they’ve suffered.

And as those expenses have prompted dioceses to lay off staff, sell property and liquidate some assets, there is growing evidence that more Catholics across the country are deciding not to contribute to their bishops’ diocesan appeals because of the scandals.

“Clearly the leadership failures related to the abuse crisis are a major factor in some of the church’s financial problems,” said Kim Smolik, CEO of the Leadership Roundtable, a national Catholic organization.

At least 20 dioceses since 2004 have filed for bankruptcy protection to pay their bills and provide financial compensation for clergy sex abuse survivors. On Sept. 12, the Diocese of Rochester in New York became the latest to petition the federal courts for Chapter 11 reorganization.

“This is a very difficult and painful decision,” Bishop Salvatore R. Matano of Rochester said during a Sept. 12 news conference. The diocese is facing nearly 50 lawsuits filed in the wake of New York’s Child Victims Act, which took effect Aug. 14 and suspended the state’s civil statute of limitations in sex abuse cases for one year.

The Catholic Courier, Rochester’s diocesan newspaper, reported Matano as saying that filing for Chapter 11 was “the best and fairest course of action for the victims and for the well-being of the diocese, its parishes, agencies and institutions.”

“We believe this is the only way we can provide just compensation for all who suffered the egregious sin of sexual abuse while ensuring the continued commitment of the diocese to the mission of Christ,” Matano said.

The most recent figures compiled by BishopAccountability.org, a website that tracks the bis...

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  • Daniel "Buddy" Robson
    commented 2019-09-19 23:08:39 -0500
    What used to be called “The Cardinal’s Appeal” has been rebranded to “The Annual Appeal”. Early in the spring I received a call from someone who identified himself from the “Annual Appeal”. He gave me his spiel and I asked him if I could earmark my contribution to a fund to help victims/survivors of clergy abuse. He said I could not…I told him when a fund is established to help victims/survivors to call me back and I would be happy to donate…I’m STILL waiting on that call…I also have not written a single check to what once was my parish since last August and have no intention of doing so anytime in the future. #fedupwithclergyabuse

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