Wednesday, September 07, 2005
APPEALING THE LIQUIDATION ORDER
As expected, the Diocese of Spokane has appealed a bankruptcy judge's ruling that Roman Catholic churches and schools may be sold to satisfy sexual abuse claims.
In an appeal filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court, lawyers for Bishop William S. Skylstad wrote that U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Patricia C. Williams erred in her analysis in 11 areas and wrongly ignored evidence and centuries of religious law.
Lawyers for parishes facing potential loss of churches and schools joined in the appeal.
In reply, lawyers for people whose lawsuits claiming sexual abuse by priests resulted in the Chapter 11 filing by the diocese said the appeal could delay resolution of those cases for years.
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Not only will it delay settlement, liquidating parish property will turn the victims into the enemies of the Catholic laity. Sympathy for their cause will be sacrificed.
