Archdiocese to Seek Permission for Victim Therapy Fund, by Annysa Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 21, 2011

Archdiocese to Seek Permission for Victim Therapy Fund

By Annysa Johnson
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
November 21, 2011

http://www.jsonline.com/features/religion/victim-therapy-fund-proposed-8d358p9-134296013.html

The Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, which faces more than a dozen civil fraud lawsuits over its handling of clergy sex abuse cases, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January. As the case proceeds, we'll have updates, analysis, documents and more.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee will ask the U.S. Bankruptcy judge for permission to create a $300,000 fund that would be used to finance counseling and therapy for sex-abuse victims whose claims are disallowed by the court for statute of limitations and other reasons, Archbishop Jerome Listecki said in an email letter Monday to local Catholics.

Listecki said church lawyers will soon file motions asking U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Susan V. Kelley to rule on the admissibility of certain claims, but that the church will continue to minister to victims whether their claims are approved or not.

"The most important thing we as a Church can and must do, is to continue to provide therapy assistance to those who have been harmed, even if their claims are not recognized under civil law," Listecki said in the letter.

Jim Stang, the attorney for the creditors committee, said he had not yet seen the letter and derided the fund as a "consolation prize."

"This may be the prelude to them starting to file objections to claims," said Stang. "Their plan of attack is to knock out as many claims as they can."

Archdiocese spokeswoman Julie Wolf responded to Stang's assessment, saying "The archbishop's email perfectly explains his motivation and commitment to abuse survivors." Attorneys for the archdiocese do not speak publicly about the case as a matter of policy.

Victims have until Feb. 1 to file claims against the archdiocese. It is expected to argue that certain claims should not be allowed, for various reasons, for example: they are beyond the civil statute of limitations; are filed by individuals who already received settlements from the church; or involve offenders who are not employed by the church, including priests who belong to religious orders, such as the Franciscans or Jesuits.

Attorneys for the creditors have made it clear they will argue that the archdiocese is responsible for claims against religious order priests because they cannot operate in the archdiocese without the archbishop's approval.