U.S. San Francisco Archdiocese files for bankruptcy in the face of sexual abuse lawsuits

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

August 21, 2023 / 9:03 PM

SAN FRANCISCO — The Archdiocese of San Francisco is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the wake of numerous claims of child sexual abuse allegedly committed by its priests, according to an announcement Monday.

"Today, I am informing you that after much reflection, prayer, and consultation with our financial and legal advisors, the Archdiocese of San Francisco filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization," Catholic archbishop of San Francisco Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone said in a letter posted Monday on the archdiocese's website.

The bankruptcy reorganization stems in large part from the more than 500 civil lawsuits "filed against the Archdiocese under state law AB-218, which allowed individuals to bring claims for childhood sexual abuse that otherwise would have been barred due to the expiration of the statute of limitations," the letter said.

Cordileone also commented on the filing in a video posted to YouTube Monday. Cordileone noted the bankruptcy filing would cover only the legal entity known as "The Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco, a Corporation Sole." The diocese's parishes, schools and other entities are not included in the filing and their operations should not be affected, the archbishop said.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/san-francisco-archdiocese-files-for-bankruptcy-child-abuse-lawsuits/

[riversedge]

1. The Archdiocese of San Francisco joins a growing list of dioceses in California and across the Unite

The Archdiocese of San Francisco joins a growing list of dioceses in California and across the United States that have filed for protection under the bankruptcy laws, including the dioceses of Oakland and Santa Rosa earlier this year.

A lawyer representing alleged victims of childhood sexual abuse within the church criticized Cordileone's announcement Monday.

"Cordileone's decision to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy is dangerous and demonstrates the archbishop's priority is secrecy and self-protection," said Jeff Anderson of Jeff Anderson and Associates.

[Old Crank]

2. Perhaps people would drop their suits

If the powers that be in the church came out and directly apologized and removed tehmselves from any form of organized religion. Church would banish them all.

But it won't happen. The parishoners will be hurt and have to cough up for the church leader's transgressions, crimes, and life will go on.

The court needs to force liquidation on all the assets. If there is more left after paying the law suits and bills the rest gets returned to the church membership.

The city or a non-profit can take over the cathedral and allow services but charge admission for tourists. Like they do in Italy.

[Phoenix61]

4. They have been hiding property to prevent that from happening.

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2020/01/dioceses-come-under-scrutiny-as-they-change-legal-structures

[Old Crank]

7. The reason behind forensic auditing.

Which can dig up crime from doing that.

[JI7]

11. These type of religious institutions will always have these issues

It's better they all shut down.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

3. So, hide the assets in 'a Corporation Sole' and then file for bankruptcy?

Wonder how much got transferred from "parishes, schools and other entities" before the filing.

[Phoenix61]

5. All of it...every single square inch they could hide. nt

[Demnation]

6. After "reflection, prayer, and consultation with our financial and legal advisors..."

Nothing about penitence, contrition, concern for the victims? He argues that the law changed, and that's the only reason why this all came down on them. He is a narcissistic psychopath, maybe a sexual predator himself, which seems about right in this modern age of "Christianity."

[kimbutgar]

8. That archbishop Cordileone is awful

He attacks the gay community in a large city with a gay population. The churches are empty and closing here.

I grew up in SF and attended Catholic schools for 12 years. I remember two boys who were favored altar boys and who both came out later in life admitting the were molested by a particular priest in our Parish.

[Mz Pip]

10. Cordileone is a hateful zealot

Very out of step with a city like San Francisco. Nasty piece of work.

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

9. :-)

?1671035772

[Marcuse]

12. And not a drag Queen in sight.

[bedazzled]

13. I don't get it

You can't arrest and try a pedo priest, or jail him

They pay no taxes

Yet they can try to go bankrupt

How does that work?

[BumRushDaShow]

14. They can be arrested

and some have - depending on the statute of limitations (many of the cases we are hearing about are decades old). What also happens is that like abusive cops, abusive priests get moved around to other places out of state with no way to (accurately) track their history as they are moved so quickly, and there's no system in place to ensure these infractions get entered into employment records.

Good article about the problem - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/religion/nearly-1-700-priests-clergy-accused-sex-abuse-are-unsupervised-n1062396

[bedazzled]

15. Thanks for the info

You are always so useful!

[BumRushDaShow]

16. You're welcome

We still have a huge issue with this here in PA and have been trying to get the statute of limitations increased to allow more to come forward.

[Mysterian]

17. So they don't pay taxes, but they get to use bankruptcy protection

This country is all fucked up.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

18. Deny the bankruptcy

The parent organization isn't broke, and they still have plenty of stolen goods--er, assets--to pay off any debts of the branch offices.