UNITED STATES
Fox News Latino
[with video]
TUCSON – As Pope Francis prepares for his upcoming visit to the U.S., Catholic bishops in the Southwest are preparing to face financial ruin, after a sex abuse scandal that involved nearly 60 victims now seeking compensation.
The Diocese of Gallup, which includes 53 parishes in both Northeastern Arizona and Northwestern New Mexico, is liquidating over 120 properties in two court-ordered auctions to cover for the victims.
Most of the properties being auctioned were donated from parishioners – New Mexico court documents show the diocese’s assets to be “virtually non-existent.” In fact, the Diocese of Gallup filed for bankruptcy in 2013.
To date, more than a dozen Roman Catholic dioceses in the United States have filed bankruptcy to seek protection in sexual abuse lawsuits, a move that some advocates say has to do more with secrets than finances.
“It puts a complete stop to all civil litigation, and it’s through civil lawsuits that the truth is exposed about clergy who committed child sex crimes and clergy who are concealing child sex crimes,” said David Clohessy, executive director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, to Fox News Latino.
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