OREGON
The Oregonian
Saturday, August 27, 2005
STEVE WOODWARD
In a decision with potentially major implications for Roman Catholics in Western Oregon, a Spokane bankruptcy judge made 32 Eastern Washington parishes available to pay off clergy sexual-abuse claims against the Diocese of Spokane.
If the Archdiocese of Portland is hit with a similar ruling, Catholic churchgoers in 124 Oregon parishes could see more than $500 million in parish assets opened up to claims from sex-abuse plaintiffs seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.
"It is a difficult decision for any Catholic parishioner to read," said Portland lawyer Douglas R. Pahl, who represents parishes, parishioners and others who claim a stake in parish property in Western Oregon. "It expressly rejects many aspects of Catholic faith that Catholics have come to rely on for generations."