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Reorganization plan includes amends for sex abuse victims
By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Gallup Independent correspondent
religion@gallupindependent.com
May 14, 2016
GALLUP – Once the Diocese of Gallup emerges from its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, Bishop James S. Wall will have an extensive list of non-monetary commitments to fulfill as part of the diocese’s plan of reorganization.
The list of non-monetary commitments includes 17 provisions that were drawn up in negotiations between attorneys for the Gallup Diocese and attorneys and representatives for clergy sex abuse claimants in the case. The document (Doc 567-18) was filed May 3 with U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Some of the provisions call for the continuation of policies the Diocese of Gallup already has in place, while other provisions will require new policies and programs to be instituted.
Bishop’s participation
Two provisions require the active participation of the Gallup bishop. One provision requires Wall to send letters of apology to all abuse claimants in the bankruptcy case and/or, if requested, to immediate family members of the claimants unless claimants request in writing that they do not wish to receive a letter from the bishop.
“Letters of apology shall state that the survivor was not at fault for the abuse and the Diocese take responsibility for the abuse,” the document states. “The Bishop shall personally sign the letters of apology.”
A second provision requires Wall to personally visit each operating Catholic parish or school in which “abuse is alleged to have occurred or where identified abusers served” with the bishop’s schedule to be well publicized at least 30 days in advance of the visit. All known survivors of abuse in that area will be invited to attend, and Wall will be available to address questions and comments.
According to the list of credibly accused abusers posted on the Diocese of Gallup’s website, Wall may be making visits to nearly 40 currently operating Catholic parishes and schools in the diocese. Arizona communities in the diocese that have had abusers include Chinle, Cibecue, Fort Defiance, Holbrook, Lukachukai, McNary, Overgaard, Page, Pinetop, San Rafael/Concho, Show Low, Snowflake, Springerville, St. Johns, St. Michaels, Tuba City and Winslow. New Mexico communities include Aragon, Blanco, Bloomfield, Bluewater, Cebolleta/Seboyeta, Chichiltah, Crownpoint, Cuba, Cubero, Farmington, Flora Vista, Gallup, Grants, Lumberton, Pinehaven, San Fidel, Shiprock and Thoreau.
Communities like Gallup and Winslow have had credibly accused abusers in more than one parish, and Gallup has had abusers who volunteered at Catholic nonprofits, served in hospitals and worked in the chancery. Winslow’s two Catholic parishes had 15 known, credibly accused abusers serve as priests between 1955 and 1989. Winslow’s Madre de Dios parish, which served mostly low-income Hispanic families, had at least one credibly accused abuser as a priest for 15 straight years, from 1961 to 1976.
Other assignments
Abusers were also assigned to parishes that have been closed or parishes that were transferred to the Diocese of Phoenix. Closed parishes include the Tolani Lake Indian Mission near Leupp, Arizona, and New Mexico parishes such as St. Philip Parish in Churchrock, Mission Center for Navajo Indians in Smith Lake and St. Jerome Parish in Gallup.
The Diocese of Phoenix took over a number of Gallup parishes that also had abusers assigned to them. Those include churches in Ash Fork, Camp Verde, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Flagstaff, Humboldt, Kingman, Mayer, Prescott, Seligman and Yarnell.
In addition, the credibly accused list posted on the Diocese of Gallup’s website does not include several priests who worked in the Gallup Diocese and have been identified as credibly accused abusers by other dioceses or religious orders. It also does not include some clergy identified as perpetrators by abuse claimants in the bankruptcy case.
If those additional names are added to the Gallup Diocese’s list, Wall’s visiting schedule to Catholic parishes and schools could grow longer.
As part of that provision requiring parish and school visits by the bishop, the non-monetary commitment list requires that Wall “shall be available upon reasonable notice to have a private conference” with any person who informs the diocese he or she was sexually abused in the Gallup Diocese.
Editor’s Note: Other new policies and programs required in the plan of reorganization will be the subject of a future article.
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