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	Fundraising for Abuse Claims — Diocese's Parishes Start to Raise $10 Million Catholic Online May 10, 2007 http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=24044 Spokane, Wash. (CNS) — Parishes of the Spokane Diocese have started local fundraising campaigns to raise $10 million collectively as their contribution to the diocese's $48 million clergy sexual abuse settlement with 180 victims. In an assessment based on parish income, two of the largest parishes, St. Mary in Spokane and St. Patrick in Pasco, are responsible for raising more than $600,000 each, according to a parish-by-parish listing in the May 3 issue of the Inland Register, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Spokane. In an article in that issue Father Steve Dublinski, diocesan vicar general, explained that part of the settlement approved April 24 by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Patricia Williams includes a diocesewide reorganization of the parishes. "The parishes of the diocese will cease being unincorporated associations which cannot by law hold their own property and will incorporate as nonprofit, nonmember corporations," he wrote. "The parish will now own and hold its property. Who owns parish property will never again be a question." During the bankruptcy proceedings Williams ruled in favor of plaintiffs claiming that parish properties were part of the real assets of the bishop of Spokane as a corporation sole and therefore subject to being used as part of the estate from which to settle the claims. A diocesan appeal of that ruling was pending when the compromise settlement was reached under which parishes would contribute $10 million to the settlement fund and would be incorporated to end future doubt about whether they owned their own property. The settlement made the unresolved court test of property ownership moot. "The dispute over who owns parish property has been the most disputed question" in the entire bankruptcy process, Father Dublinski said. Deer Park attorney Robert Hailey, who was co-chairman of the Association of Parishes, an organization formed during the bankruptcy specifically to defend parish property interests, said May 9 that there are about 25,000 registered Catholic households in the diocese. Hailey said the percentage of the $10 million assigned to each of the diocese's 82 parishes was based on its 2006 Annual Catholic Appeal goal, which in turn was based on each parish's yearly income from weekly collections. According to the Inland Register, while only two parishes are responsible for more than $600,000, 27 others are expected to raise amounts between $100,000 and $600,000. Eighteen of the smallest parishes are expected to raise $10,000 or less, and the other 35 are responsible for amounts between $10,000 and $100,000. Hailey said parishes will be seeking both actual donations and pledges, but there will be a heavy emphasis in the early stages on upfront donations because the court has imposed a 6 percent interest penalty beginning Oct. 1 on any portion of the $10 million not deposited by that date.
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