The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno announced this week that it will file for bankruptcy this summer as it faces more than 150 sexual abuse allegations.
Bishop Joseph V. Brennan, leader of the Diocese of Fresno, said in a statement that the Central Valley church will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August.
The diocese did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment.
Brennan’s statement said the move allows the diocese to “address these allegations honestly, compassionately and fairly.”
Brennan said the move was necessary because of the large number of claims the diocese has received in the three years since – 154 to its knowledge. Parliamentary Bill 218 The bill was enacted in January 2020.
AB 218 opens a three-year window for some civil sexual assault claims that had previously been run out by the statute of limitations.
“The reopening window leaves every diocese in California vulnerable to more claims,” Brennan said. “The issues we face give us an opportunity to double down on our efforts to create a safe environment for everyone inside and outside the church and to address clergy issues. The real issue of human crime in child abuse.”
Diocese of Sacramento files for bankruptcy in april. archdiocese of san francisco filed for bankruptcy last summer.
San Francisco said the city had more than 500 new claims due to AB 218, while Sacramento put the number at 250 lawsuits.
In each case, each church chose to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, allowing for court-supervised reorganization. Brennan said this would ensure that all victims receive compensation and that church funds are not drained by whoever submits and completes the fastest.
Bankruptcy, however, does not sit well with Survivors Network of Priest Abuse (SNAP).
Bankruptcy is not the only way to achieve “equitable recovery” in lawsuits against diocese, organization said in a statement. It added that the process turned victims into “creditors” and left those who were abused before the filing date and unaware of the proceedings “permanently barred” from bringing damages proceedings.
SNAP said Brennan and the diocese are the ultimate beneficiaries of the program.
“This cruel and, in our view, unreasonable legal tactic does nothing good for those who have suffered or are currently suffering child sex crimes in his diocese,” SNAP said in a statement. “SNAP believes It is the children, not the secrets and assets, that need to be protected. To us, this legal strategy demonstrates that the Diocese of Fresno is truly bankrupt and morally bankrupt.
The Diocese of Fresno includes 87 parishes and 21 schools from Fresno, Kern, Kings, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa, Merced and Tulare counties, with a combined Catholic population of more than 1 million only.
The diocese issued a List of accused clergy in 2021 These include 64 clergy ordained as early as 1906.
The diocese did not clarify whether the new accusations came from previously accused priests and brothers or from newly accused persons.
Brennan said in the letter that Fresno’s Catholic schools will not be affected by the bankruptcy.
Fresno native Jason Bettini, 49, said he received a letter from his youngest child’s school, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in neighboring Clovis earlier this week. The letter confirmed the news and he felt relieved.
In 2021, Bettany founded the Central Valley Chapter Legion of St. GeorgeAccording to its description, it is a Catholic nonprofit organization that provides fraternity for priests, men, and young men.
Bettany’s version was a Catholic pushback against the Boy Scouts, which have also been dogged by sexual abuse accusations.
The St. George Troop requires fathers to be actively involved in their sons’ adventures, including camping and fishing. In less than three years, the group grew from 18 boys to 50 boys.
He said the news left him with mixed emotions.
“The diocese needs to protect itself from this lawsuit,” said Bettini, a longtime parishioner of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Fresno. “But the real victims also need to be compensated for their pain and suffering, no matter how many years have passed.”
