Catholic Diocese files for bankruptcy

[Nebraska Red]

Wed Mar 8, 6:29 PM ETYahoo News

 

Top U.S. Bishop Accused of Sex Abuse

 

SPOKANE, Wash. - A woman has filed a claim that she was sexually abused more than 40 years ago by Bishop William Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops and leader of the Spokane Diocese.

 

 

Skylstad issued a statement Wednesday categorically denying the accusation, saying he has not violated the vow of celibacy he took 47 years ago.

 

The claim was filed against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane on Dec. 27 by a woman who said she was under the age of 18 when Skylstad sexually abused her at St. Patrick's Parish and at Gonzaga University from December 1961 to December 1964.

 

Skylstad was a student at Gonzaga University from 1962-1966 and taught mathematics to students at Mater Cleri Seminary at Colbert, north of Spokane.

 

The diocese is one of three in the nation that filed for bankruptcy protection to deal with claims of sexual abuse by clergy. Skylstad last month offered to settle with 75 victims for $45.7 million

 

The woman's claim was filed as a result of the bankruptcy "proof of claims" process, the diocese said.

 

 

 

Victims of clergy sexual abuse have until Friday to file claims. Greg Arpin, an attorney representing the diocese, said there were a total of 135 claims as of Wednesday morning, including the original 75 who would be covered by the settlement.

 

The woman's claim was first reported Wednesday by the Spokesman-Review newspaper of Spokane.

 

It is unclear under the reforms American bishops adopted in 2002 for responding to abuse claims whether Skylstad should temporarily step down while his case is being investigated.

 

The policy requires Catholic officials to determine whether there is "sufficient evidence" supporting the allegations against a cleric before they take him out of public ministry while a full review is conducted under Vatican oversight.

 

This is on top of the Dublin scandal.

 

The BBC

 

Irish priests hit by abuse claims

 

The Catholic Church has been hit by abuse scandals worldwide

More than 100 Catholic priests in the Dublin region of Ireland are suspected of having abused children in the last 66 years, according to a new report.

The Archdiocese of Dublin's report said at least 350 children may have been abused in the region since 1940.

 

More than 3% of some 2,800 priests to have worked in the archdiocese are suspected of abuse - the biggest such figure revealed so far in Ireland.

 

The Irish government is soon to begin an inquiry into abuse in the Church.

 

The office of Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said it was publishing its findings before a commission is formed later this month to investigate the handling of abuse.

 

A series of sex-abuse scandals have dented the Irish Catholic Church's reputation since 1994.

 

The report said it had arrived at its figure after studying the personnel files of all priests who have worked in the Dublin archdiocese since 1940.

 

So far, 32 priests in the archdiocese have been sued for damages by 105 victims, according to the report.

 

The cost of the litigation so far - 5.9m euros (£4m; $7m) - is expected to rise, the report said, as many cases have yet to be settled and more suspected victims of abuse have still to be traced.

 

Late last year an investigation in a smaller diocese, in County Wexford, uncovered more than 100 allegations of abuse against 21 priests.

 

The latest report marks the biggest admission of physical or sexual abuse by the Irish Catholic Church since the first such scandals erupted a decade ago.

Edited March 10, 2006 by nebraska red