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	Catholics Respond to Archdiocese Bankruptcy By Sharon Roznik The Northwestern January 7, 2011 http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20110107/OSH0101/301070013/Catholics-respond-to-Archdiocese-bankruptcy Parishioners at Holy Family Catholic Parish will be watching a video message at Mass on Sunday from Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki. Fond du Lac's Catholic parishes and schools are being assured that the Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee's recent filing of Chapter 11 bankruptcy will not impact them. "Any bankruptcy has a bad connotation in the minds of most people, but given the circumstances and goal of the archdiocese to provide financial compensation to all of the (sexual abuse) victims and at the same time protect its limited resources and be able to function as a church — I think that will all be spelled out by the archbishop," said the Rev. Vic Capriolo, priest moderator at Holy Family. The archdiocese faces more than a dozen civil fraud lawsuits over its handling of sexual abuse cases. On its website, archmil.org, Listecki said Chapter 11 reorganization proceedings will allow the church to "move forward on stable financial ground, focused on its Gospel mission." In a message sent to the school community, St. Mary's Springs Academy Board Chairman David Klumpyan affirmed that local parishes and SMSA schools are not included in the recent bankruptcy action. "This bankruptcy proceeding applies only to the archdiocese itself. SMSA is a separate Catholic entity (separately incorporated under state law), and its assets are not included in this filing. SMSA resources will continue to be fully available and protected to support our local mission of Catholic education," Klumpyan said. Klumpyan said the important thing for the community to be aware of is that SMSA is a separate, incorporated entity. Its assets and resources are not part not of the archdiocese. This includes pensions and health-care plans, he said. "This is a very difficult time, and it's time for a new beginning. People made some terrible mistakes, and I think the archdiocese has gone out of its way to remedy matters spiritually, mentally and emotionally," he said. Parishes are separate civil corporations under state law. Neither the pending lawsuits against the archdiocese nor the Chapter 11 filing involve parishes or parish schools, according to the archdiocese. The archdiocese's audited financial statements for the year ending June 30, 2010, show total assets of $98.4 million. The large majority of those assets ($90 million), are restricted by donors for designated purposes, or are offset by corresponding liabilities, the website states. Over the past 20 years, $29 million has gone into covering costs associated with priest-perpetrators sexually abusing minors. Marian University should also escape any fallout from bankruptcy proceedings, says Edward Ogle, executive vice president of academic and student affairs. "We are saddened by the archbishop's announcement this week yet feel it was made with grace, dignity and humility, and we will continue to support the archbishop and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. As an independent organization sponsored by the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, Marian University receives funding through tuition, gifts in kind, grants, etc., and therefore will not be financially impacted by the filing," Ogle said.
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