February 18, 2007

Statement by Mary Grant of Long Beach, SNAP Western Regional Director
626 419-2930 cell, SNAPnetwork.org

This is simply a shrewd public relations move by a bishop desperate to kept clergy sex crimes covered up.

Brom is terribly afraid of upcoming civil trials where he will have to disclose, under oath and in open court, how much he knew about and how little he did about predator priests.

Only four out of 196 dioceses have ever sought bankruptcy protection. Each did do on the eve of potentially embarrassing civil trial at which top church officials would be forced to admit they protected dangerous priests over innocent kids.

Threats of bankruptcy are designed to guilt trip victims and frighten Catholics so that testimony isn’t given, the truth isn’t exposed and the church isn’t held accountable.