ROCKVILLE (MD)
SNAP - Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests [Chicago IL]
September 22, 2022
By Janet Klinger
At a virtual status conference, counsel for the diocese told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Martin Glenn that the diocese hopes to sit down with creditors and “hammer out a resolution” within the next 30 to 60 days, saying that after two years in bankruptcy, all parties are “eager” for a conclusion to the case.
The diocese, which includes Nassau and Suffolk counties in New York, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2020, marking it the country’s largest Roman Catholic diocese to do so. The measure was made after the Child Victims Act of New York, which extended the statute of limitations for filing claims of child abuse, left it facing suits from 223 potential victims.
While we hope that a resolution comes swiftly for those victims who have endured the lengthy process of bankruptcy proceedings, we know this is a measure intended to conceal secrets and prevent the public from learning the extent of priest abuse inside its boundaries and protect its assets. Janet Klinger, SNAP Leader in Long Island, New York said, “The Diocese of Rockville Centre has dodged the survivors for years. It is good to see movement on this, but it will never heal the trauma these survivors continue to live with.”
We feel it is equally important for others to know that Rockville Centre church leaders prefer to hide: they are the only diocese in New York that has refused to publish a list of “credibly” identified abusers. Contrary to public demands for openness, Bishop John Barres and his associates have persistently resisted even providing their community with any information relating to priest abuse that hasn’t been placed upon them by secular government and regional media. We’ve long advocated for zero tolerance, complete openness, and accountability, and the Diocese of Rockville Centre is a perfect example of why.
CONTACT: Janet Klinger, SNAP Long Island (mizzorro@gmail.com), Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager (mmcdonnell@snapnetwork.org, 267-261-0578)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)