Special Report: Boy Scouts, Catholic dioceses find haven from sex abuse suits in bankruptcy

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Reuters

14 minute read * December 30, 2022 * 6:07 AM EST * Last Updated 4 hours ago

Special Report: Boy Scouts, Catholic dioceses find haven from sex abuse suits in bankruptcy

By Kristina Cooke, Mike Spector, Benjamin Lesser, Dan Levine and Disha Raychaudhuri

Dec 30 (Reuters) - Lawmakers around the United States have tried to grant justice to victims of decades-old incidents of child sexual abuse by giving them extra time to file lawsuits. Now some of the defendants in these cases, including church and youth organizations, are finding a safe haven: America’s bankruptcy courts.

In New York, nearly 11,000 cases flooded state courts, many seeking to hold Catholic dioceses responsible for sexual abuse by clergy, after a 2019 law suspended statutes of limitations that would have otherwise barred many of the lawsuits. In response, four New York dioceses that collectively faced more than 500 sexual-abuse claims filed for bankruptcy. That halted the cases — and blocked those from anyone who might sue later — and forced the plaintiffs to negotiate a one-time settlement for all abuse claims in bankruptcy court.

The pattern has taken hold across the United States, a Reuters review of bankruptcies precipitated by mass child sexual-abuse litigation found.

Many of the defendants turning to bankruptcy court are nonprofit organizations. In court filings dating back to 2009, the Boy Scouts of America, a New York boys & girls club and 13 separate Catholic institutions each have cited state laws extending abuse victims’ right to sue as factors in their decisions to seek bankruptcy protection.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/boy-scouts-catholic-dioceses-find-haven-sex-abuse-suits-bankruptcy-2022-12-30/

[multigraincracker]

1. So it wasn't Drag shows all this

time doing the grooming. It was the Boy Scouts and the Catholic Church.

[NullTuples]

14. And several handfuls of Republican politicians...

But also, most Boy Scout troops involved...were affiliated with a local church of some Christian denomination (not all were Catholic, but others like Southern Baptists have had their large scale child molestation revealed in the last few years, too).

Also, most people don't get the raw *scale* of how many children Catholic priests have molested. A few years back a UK court case revealed there to be 10 THOUSAND victims in Ireland alone. It's not a huge country and that was just the count from a single set of records where the priests or superiors were confronted.

[BOSSHOG]

15. The Catholic Church

Has been grooming children for several generations. You have to go to church at least once a week or burn in hell for eternity. When you go to church take lots of money. Until you die. Then pay the church for your funeral. And then there’s the sex stuff. And the papists continue to violate the separation of church and state while getting a tax exemption. Praise the lord.

I’m not familiar with the Boy Scout involvement.

[Canoe52]

2. The Catholic Church is bankrupt?

So they’ve sold all that gold in the Vatican already?

[cstanleytech]

4. If it's related to the Catholic faith such as a cross or something like that I doubt SCOTUS

would force the church to sell it or hand it over and that includes school's and other property owned and operated solely by the church.
Buildings they own but lease to other parties might however be fair game but that is just my opinion.

[NullTuples]

6. Nah, they move $$$ out of a Diocese then declare it bankrupt to avoid payouts. It's a sham.

They've taken to capitalism and running religion like a profitable business quite well over the last four centuries or so.

[BOSSHOG]

16. And when a priest is "suspected" of sexual improprieties

The church moves him 50 miles down the highway in an attempt to “avoid.”

The church is good at what it does. Too bad it doesn’t do good. I’ll gladly accept the wrath of those who are offended by my post.

[mopinko]

7. the art collection is worth billions.

and i for 1 cant wait to see it on the auction block.
esp the naughty bits in the bsmt.

[OMGWTF]

12. I was dazzled by the art in the Vatican and was told what we see is a tiny percentage

of what they own. There must be warehouses full of it.

[mopinko]

13. most museums are that way.

honestly, it’s a thing that bugs me. so much work that will never be seen.

[pnwmom]

10. Financially the separate dioceses have always had separate leadership and finances,

Last edited Fri Dec 30, 2022, 06:49 PM - Edit history (2)

with each individual Bishop in charge. They pay a small tax ("Peter's Pence) to the Vatican. And so when one diocese goes under, it doesn't affect the rest.

Each Bishop is in charge of theological, financial, and personnel matters for his diocese (although some conservatives claim otherwise -- as long as there's a conservative in the Papacy). It's why the Bishop in San Francisco can refuse Communion to Nancy Pelosi, while other Bishops, including the one in D.C., can welcome her. (Even Pope Francis has served Communion to Nancy and Joe Biden, but he can't make the Bishop of San Francisco do so.)

This is why the largest diocese in my state, the Seattle Archdiocese, did not go bankrupt, but the diocese of Spokane did. The crisis was managed by each individual Bishop. During the height of the crisis here, Washington was led by a Bishop, Raymond Hunthausen, who removed offenders from Churches and did everything he could to prevent further abuses. Spokane wasn't as fortunate in their leadership.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/firebrand-texas-bishop-strickland-tests-limits-conservative-catholic-dissent

"Progressive Catholics have been saying for a long time that bishops are not branch managers, and Rome is not the home office," she said.

[cstanleytech]

3. Will the Court allow for the suspension of an statute of limitations?

[Peregrine Took]

5. Disgusting. Every time this issue calms down something else comes up. They should throw out all

hierarchy and start all over again with a simple church based on what Christ taught. Sell off the cathedrals, properties, etc and just start over

[cilla4progress]

8. Rigged

and corrupt.

Yet we peons are expected to toe the line.

Anyone else see through the lies and corrupt? SMDH.

[czarjak]

18. Been saying too.

[moreland01]

9. Once again,

if women ran the show (in the world), pedophiles would be castrated.

[twodogsbarking]

11. This is terrible. Send money to save the church.

If you don't know this is sarcasm then send the money.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

17. Better not happen to the Sandy Hook families.

That fat slob deserves poverty.