BishopAccountability.org
	Catholics Wonder What Bankruptcy Means for Church By Gary Soulsman The News Journal October 20, 2009 http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20091020/NEWS01/910200367 Catholics in the Diocese of Wilmington reacted to news of Sunday's bankruptcy filing with a mixture of disbelief, fear, pain, sadness and a desire to know more about what the future holds for the region's 233,000 faithful. "I was shocked when I saw the headline," said Bob O'Neill of Lewes. Anthony Albence, head of the parish council of St. Anthony of Padua parish in Wilmington, agreed. "This was not something I saw coming, and as I speak with people, I find everyone is concerned and eager to understand what this means," Albence said. With 13,900 students in the 27 Diocese of Wilmington schools, superintendent Cathy Weaver said she expects that parents will have questions about what bankruptcy means for them. That's why she's sending out an e-mail today to principals that she wants them to forward to parents. She hopes it will reassure parents such as Tim Scully of Bear. He has three kids in Catholic schools. "I'm not worried about it happening today in schools," said Scully, who feels good about his kids' education. "But it is shocking to think of the number of people who've come forward to file suit. That's not good for Catholic schools or priests." With so many people having questions about the bankruptcy, the diocese has set up a hot line to handle questions. Weaver wants to reassure parents that schools will continue to offer the same quality of education. She also wants to tell everyone that no victim settlements will be paid from tuition funds or donations to parishes. And she wants to communicate to parents the diocese has created new policies for the protection of children and it is seeking to be compassionate in responding to people who were hurt in the past by bad decisions. "The settlements that the diocese is seeking for victims is to honor what they've been through and provide assistance," she said. The suits evoke a lot of emotion, said O'Neill, an active member of St. Jude the Apostle Church in Lewes. He feels angry at priests who abused young people, but he also wonders if greed has led some of the 142 claimants to file suit. "You hope the money is going for the right reasons," he said. Bankruptcy is a word that also inspires fear about how Chapter 11 will affect parishes and programs. The Rev. Tom Flowers of St. Polycarp in Smyrna has heard that expressed in some of his conversations with parishioners. There's a great deal of sadness for many of those involved, he said. People feel sorry for Bishop W. Francis Malooly having to deal with the issue in his first 13 months. And they feel sorry that this continues to be an open wound -- that many lifelong Catholics have known one or more priests named in the suits, Flowers said. Albence has been aware of the pain, too. "There's tremendous pain on the part of the victims, and what the victims have suffered is extending to everyone," he said. His hope is that people will pray for justice and an amicable outcome for all. Contact Gary Soulsman at 324-2893 or gsoulsman@delawareonline.com
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.