Archdiocese of Milwaukee to Give Each Sex Abuse Victim $6,000 in Settlement

By Sandra Torres
CBS 58
February 12, 2014

http://www.cbs58.com/news/local-news/Archdiocese-of-Milwaukee-to-give-each-sex-abuse-victim-6000-in-settlement-245277671.html

[with video]

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Archdiocese is setting aside about four million dollars to settle with sex abuse victims. That amount gives each victim about $6,000 for what was done to them. This compensation package is a part of a larger bankruptcy reorganization plan filed in federal court. The move is upsetting several victims of Catholic priests.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee says its plan of reorganization has three parts. It will provide abuse survivors lifetime therapy for what they've gone through. it will take about four million dollars from non-restricted assets from the archdiocese estate. The archdiocese will pay costs related to the bankruptcy including legal and accounting fees.

Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests(SNAP) says that's not enough to properly compensate the 570 victims from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Abuse victim Monica Barrett got emotion as she reacted to how the archdiocese of Milwaukee plans to compensate her and other abuse survivors. "It's much like being raped all over again, because we've fought for decades to even get to this point and he says we're out of money."

Archbishop Jerome Listecki says he understands no amount of money will repair some of the damage. "My hope and prayer is it would bring some type of closure," said Listecki. "I think one of the things we can always assure the victims of is the fact that we are a different church today, because of their courage coming forward."