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	Claims of Sex Abuse Soar in Spokane Bankruptcy - at Least 176 Alleged Victims Filed by Friday's Deadline, and Costs Could Reach Millions The Oregonian March 14, 2006 http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/ 1142306730232210.xml&coll=7 SPOKANE -- The number of claims of sexual abuse by priests in the Catholic Diocese of Spokane has jumped to at least 176, more than double since the diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a year ago. The bankruptcy court imposed a deadline for people to file claims by last Friday, and at least 176 had been received, church lawyers said. They probably will cost many millions of dollars to settle. Church attorney Greg Arpin of Spokane declined Monday to give the exact number of claims, saying they were being tabulated. Earlier this year, Bishop William Skylstad offered $45.7 million to settle with 75 people who had filed claims against the diocese. That offer requires the approval of the bankruptcy court and the claimants as well as obtaining the money from the assets of the small diocese. Much of the money is likely to be raised from the 82 parishes and parishioners that make up the diocese. The Association of Parishes, which represents the 82 parishes, is worried the bankruptcy price tag will exceed $80 million. The diocese initially estimated that more than 20 additional claims would be filed before the deadline. "They were wrong," said Joe Shickich, the Seattle attorney appointed to represent a class of victims who had not filed lawsuits or hired attorneys. Though the deadline has passed, even more claims are possible. The bankruptcy includes plans for a special class of people who have yet to file allegations of abuse by clergy. These people are referred to as future claimants and are not bound by Friday's deadline. They include children who may have been abused recently or are now being abused, victims of past abuse who have repressed memories, victims who know they were abused but haven't yet realized that the abuse is a cause of their problems, and others with reasons precluding them from filing claims before Friday. At least a dozen priests, including some deceased, have been accused of sexual abuse. Skylstad announced last week that a woman filed a complaint contending he molested her four decades ago in Spokane. Skylstad has denied her allegations. Besides the claims filed by alleged victims of clergy abuse, the diocese faces other claims. Each parish, for example, filed a claim to protect its assets. Among them: St. Augustine Parish and Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral each filed $10 million claims against the bankruptcy. The diocese filed for federal bankruptcy protection in November 2004, making it one of three dioceses in the United States seeking bankruptcy protection to handle hundreds of sex-abuse claims and lawsuits.
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