BOSTON (MA)
Hartford Courant
May 3, 2006
Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston, has taken a major step toward healing the wounds of mistrust inflicted by the sexual abuse scandal that resulted in the resignation of his predecessor, Cardinal Bernard Law.
The archdiocese opened its books to the public, lancing a painful wound. Disclosure is the only way for the church to assuage fears that money paid out to victims of priest abuse came from parishioners' donations or savings from the closing of 62 parishes. It did not.
The books show a whopping $150 million was paid in settlements and other costs associated with the scandal. As a result of this expenditure, as well as shrinking donations in the wake of the scandal, the Boston Archdiocese has amassed a $46 million deficit. That is believed to be the largest deficit of any diocese ever.