BishopAccountability.org
	Abuse Victims" Attorneys Question Archdiocese Assets By Tom Murray TMJ4 January 5, 2011 http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/112975579.html MILWAUKEE - John Marek, treasurer and chief financial officer for the archdiocese, testified about the organization's finances. He said Catholic schools, parishes and hospitals are independent and are not part of archdiocese finances. David Leibowitz, an attorney representing clergy abuse victims, told TODAY'S TMJ4 after the hearing that victims may argue schools, parishes and charities should be included in the assets. "Certain things like this have come up in other archdiocesan cases in other parts of the country, so I would not be surprised to see that happen here," Leibowitz said. A judge may determine how much those victims are paid and the scope of archdiocese assets will impact the amount received. Victims with pending cases had to scramble to find a local bankruptcy attorney after the announcement from Archbishop Jerome Listecki on Tuesday. The archdiocese claims it can no longer afford to pay clergy abuse lawsuits and had to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Northwestern Mutual Chief Investment Officer Mark Doll is an advisor to the archbishop. "I would say that we have done our best in the last 15 plus years to settle claims as they came forward, and basically we're at a point where yes, the money is close to running out," Doll told TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Tom Murray. "This can't go on forever and we just don't have the resources." At Tuesday's news conference, Listecki assured Southeast Wisconsin's 650,000 Catholics that the court could not go after individual parishes, schools and charities during the bankruptcy process.
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