The Catholic Diocese of Oakland plans to pay more than $160 million for sex abuse claims

The Catholic Diocese of Oakland plans to pay more than $160 million for sex abuse claims

By Lynda Carson - December 4, 2024

(Click here for todays motion in court, https://veritaglobal.net/RCBO - Notice of Hearing on Motion to Allow Late Proofs of Claim - December 4, 2024 (10:30 a.m. (PT)) - Or, click here, https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/48783026/The_Roman_Catholic_Bishop_of_Oakland .


On May 8, 2023, in utter shame and humiliation, reportedly on IndyBay, the disgraced Catholic Diocese of Oakland announced that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Northern District of California, as a direct result of facing over 330 child sexual abuse lawsuits.

Reportedly, “On May 8th, 2023, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Oakland (the 'Debtor') filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (the 'Bankruptcy Code'). The Debtor's chapter 11 case (the 'Bankruptcy Case') is pending under Case No. 23-40523 before the Honorable Judge William J. Lafferty in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California (the 'Bankruptcy Court').”

More information about the bankruptcy case may be found here, https://veritaglobal.net/RCBO . Additional info may be found here, https://www.rkc.llc/post/theromancatholicbishopofoakland .

According to the website for Jeff Anderson and Associates, in part it states, “On March 8, 2023, the Diocese of Oakland filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy reorganization. This expected, and ill-fated decision by the diocese is a shallow attempt by the bishop to harbor perpetrators, conceal assets, and shield the truth from survivors of sexual abuse.

Historically, organizations such as Catholic dioceses and religious orders have used Chapter 11 Bankruptcy as a shield to prevent embarrassing jury trials, allowing the institution to continue “business as usual” while continuing to hide its secrets. Bishops use this legal tactic to prevent survivors of child sexual abuse from pursuing legal action, exposing predators, and holding the Diocese accountable.”


Catholic Diocese Of Oakland Filed a Chapter 11 Plan To Pay $160 to $198 Million:

As recent as November 12, 2024, reportedly that the Catholic Diocese of Oakland filed a Chapter 11 plan to pay more than $160 million to settle the over 330 child sexual abuse claims it was facing. Click here for plan, https://www.veritaglobal.net/rcbo/document/2340523241113000000000007 .

Reportedly, in part the November 12, 2024, release states, “The Diocese of Oakland, California, filed a formal Chapter 11 reorganization plan Nov. 8 in an effort to settle some 345 claims of sexual abuse.

If approved by the court, the move — which follows the decision by the diocese in May 2023 to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy — would create a survivors' trust totaling between "approximately $160 million and $198 million or more," the diocese said in a Nov. 8 news release.

Funding for the settlement will be provided through a blend of sources, with $103 million from the diocese, plus more than 122 acres of vacant land owned by the diocese that according to the filing is "worth between $43 million and up to approximately $81 million or more," if sold for residential development.

In addition, the Roman Catholic Welfare Corporation/Schools, the nonprofit associated with the diocesan Catholic schools, will contribute $14.25 million. The diocese said it will also rely on "possible contributions of cash from other entities."

Additionally, according to reports, “From 2004 to 2023, U.S. Catholic dioceses and eparchies paid or pledged to pay more than some $4.384 billion to settle claims, according to OSV News' recent analysis of annual data provided by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.

Data for fiscal year 2024 is still pending; however, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ $880 million settlement and a $323 million settlement announced Sept. 26 by the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York, account for $1.2 billion within the span of less than a month.

Those two settlements, plus the USCCB total for 2004-2023, add up to $5.59 billion.”


A Response From The SNAP Network About The Oakland Catholic Diocese Scheme:


In response, according to a November 12, 2024 release from SNAP, in part it states, “On Friday, the Catholic Diocese of Oakland filed a plan of reorganization with the bankruptcy court. In a press release, the Diocese said it will create a trust for sexual abuse survivors worth between $160 and $198 million to pay out 345 claims. SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, called the settlement offer “pathetic.”

Court documents show the initial installment is only $65 million. The Treasurer of SNAP’s Board of Directors, Dan McNevin said, “I think it's pretty pathetic. It's low. This is a really, really wealthy Diocese and there are a lot of victims. I can't imagine that creditors' counsel will accept such a low number that just calculates to about nothing per victim."

Cathy, an Oakland sexual abuse survivor echoed Dan’s reaction, “I believe the Diocese will pay the lowest amount they can. They are before this court looking for a discount on my pain. On our pain. The church protects its money and reputation more than its children. No amount of money will make me whole and restore the child that was damaged in that one moment.”

Victim attorneys Rick Simons and Jeff Anderson also pushed back. Rick said the offer was "a definite message and the message is 'You are not important.' The message is 'We don't care!'" Jeff called the proposal “a scam and a sham.”

The 330 innocent victims who have filed lawsuits were members of the Oakland Diocese. They were baptized and confirmed, worked as altar servers, or attended Catholic schools. Their families trusted the priests who assaulted their children, and those families donated time and money to the Diocese. They helped to compensate the clergy who damaged their children's lives.
We think it is also important to recognize that the Diocese is not compensating all the victims that their immoral actions created. It is not unusual for survivors to succumb to suicide. Moreover, not everyone was ready or able to come forward before the bankruptcy claim deadline. However, once the bankruptcy closes, all other claims are extinguished. Even a six-year old whose assaults ended before the bankruptcy was filed, would be prevented from recovering restitution for their damages.
 
The Diocese of Oakland is surely morally bankrupt, it seems to us. The Diocese owns a Cathedral worth $200 million. It has hundreds of acres of land in Piedmont, Orinda, Lafayette, and Danville. Except for character and integrity, it is not poor. Our hope is that the federal bankruptcy court will see through this sham of an offer.”

Trump’s Election Lies That Helped To Bring Him Back To The White House This Coming January 2024:

Millions of people across the nation have been terrified that the lies and deceit of the convicted felon Donald J. Trump and his MAGA-BAN gang of supporters were used to trick the American public into voting the convicted felon Donald J. Trump back into office.

As an example. During May, of 2023, the disgraced Catholic Diocese of Oakland filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as a direct result of facing 330 child sexual abuse lawsuits. This is just the tip of an iceberg of sexual abuse cases involving pedophile priests and clergy across the nation.

According to the SNAP Network, the Diocese of Oakland doesn’t deserve to declare bankruptcy.

Reportedly, there are 28 Catholic dioceses in the US and it’s territories that have filed for bankruptcy because of “clergy sexual abuse claims”, resulting in nearly $900 million (dollars) paid to more than 2,600 victims of sexual abuse through the many settlement agreements taking place.

During this recent past ugly despicable election season there has not been a peep from the convicted felon Trump campaign and the MAGA-BAN fanatics regarding all of the on-going bankruptcies occurring in the Catholic church that have been taking place, and all the pedophile priests accused of sexually abusing our children all across the nation.

To the contrary, the convicted felon Donald J. Trump and his MAGA-BAN supporters would rather make up a bunch of lies and falsely accuse some Haitian immigrants of eating the pets of their neighbors in Springfield, Ohio, rather than bring your attention to all the pedophile priests that have spent many years sexually abusing our children all across the nation. Or consider Trump’s false claims that immigrants are ‘poisoning the blood of our country’, and that some immigrants are animals. All the above in this paragraph are evil tactics that have been used by Hitler, and the Nazis against the Jews.

For a few headlines regarding sexual abuse activities by priests and other clergy, see a few headlines below.

Lynda Carson may be reached at newzland2 [at] gmail.com


Headlines:


Rape, Reproductive Coercion and the Catholic Church

Ms. Magazine
https://msmagazine.com › 2024/01/30 › rape-abortion-...

Jan 30, 2024 — Catholic priests and bishops perpetrate and cover up sexual violence, rape and child abuse, then deny their victims the right to abortion.

New Orleans archdiocese agrees to release secret files on ...


The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com › us-news › nov › new-or...

Nov 8, 2024 — ... priests and deacons faced with substantial allegations of child sexual abuse. Church officials on Thursday announced the plan to disclose clergy ...


The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com › us-news › dec › new-or...

New Orleans clergy abuse: details emerge after retired ...

11 hours ago — Victim was going to testify about being forced to see a psychiatrist for lying or face expulsion from school after rape by Lawrence Hecker, ...


CNN
https://www.cnn.com › 2024/12/04 › new-orleans-pries...

Ex-New Orleans priest pleads guilty to rape and ...

20 hours ago — Hecker entered his plea to aggravated kidnapping, aggravated crime against nature, first-degree rape and theft before Campbell, moments before ...


The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com › 2024/12/03 › louisiana-cath...

Retired Louisiana Priest Pleads Guilty to Rape and

1 day ago — The retired priest, Lawrence Hecker, 93, pleaded guilty to state charges of first-degree rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated crime against ...


The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com › us-news › dec › lawren...

Retired New Orleans priest pleads guilty to kidnapping and

1 day ago — ... priest Lawrence Hecker pleaded guilty on Tuesday morning. ... The last Catholic clergyman charged in New Orleans with child rape was deacon George ...


Disclosures regarding clergy sexual abuse of minors

Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
https://safe-environment.archspm.org › accountability

The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis maintains a list of names of individuals against whom there is a substantiated claim of abusing a minor.


Pennsylvania Attorney General - Grand Jury Report

PA Office of Attorney General (.gov)
https://www.attorneygeneral.gov › report

This site serves as the holding ground for the results of a two-year grand jury investigation into widespread sexual abuse of children within six dioceses.


Clergy Credibly Accused of Sexual Abuse of Minors

Archdiocese of Washington
https://adw.org › About Us › Resources

Ordained 1963. Abuse first reported to ADW 1979. Removed from ADW ministry 1979 (treated and cleared for return to ministry). Accepted assignment Diocese of ...


List of Credibly Accused Clergy

Catholic Diocese of Columbus
https://columbuscatholic.org › chancery › list-of-credibl...

Mar 1, 2019 — I am releasing today a list of the names of clergy who have served in the Diocese of Columbus, and who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.


Almost 1700 priests and clergy accused of sex abuse are ...

NBC News
https://www.nbcnews.com › news › religion › nearly-1-...

Oct 4, 2019 — ... rape. Dioceses and religious orders so far have shared the names of more than 5,100 clergy members, with more than three-quarters of the ...


CBS News
https://www.cbsnews.com › Crime

Former New Orleans priest pleads guilty to rape and ...

16 hours ago — Former New Orleans priest pleads guilty to rape and kidnapping in sexual abuse case ahead of trial. Updated on: December 4, 2024 / 7:45 AM ...


Letitia James - New York State Attorney General

New York State Attorney General (.gov)
https://ag.ny.gov › press-release › attorney-general-jam...

Apr 16, 2024 — Attorney General James Announces Agreement with Brooklyn Catholic Diocese for Mishandling of Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases. Diocese Required to Make ...


Priests, Deacons, Seminarians & Religious with Credible ...

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
https://archatl.com › Offices › Child and Youth Protection

In 2018, then-Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory released the names of all clergy and seminarians credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors.


List of Priests and Brothers Accused of Child Sexual Abuse
Archdiocese of Baltimore
https://www.archbalt.org › child-and-youth-protection

A list of priests and religious brothers[1] who had served in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and who had been accused, in their lifetime, of child sexual abuse.


Sexual Abuse at the Hands of Catholic Clergy

National Institutes of Health (NIH) (.gov)
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › articles › PMC6676731

by H Dreßing · 2019 · Cited by 29 — When cases of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church became known, the German Bishops' Conference (Deutsche Bischofskonferenz, DBK) 


Augustinian Catholic order paid $2M settlement over rape ...

Chicago Sun-Times
https://chicago.suntimes.com › 2024/06/04 › augustinia...

Jun 4, 2024 — Augustinian Catholic order paid $2 million settlement over rape accusations against priest but left his name off sex abuser list. The ...


Pope admits clerical abuse of nuns including sexual slavery

BBC
https://www.bbc.com › news › world-europe-47134033

Feb 6, 2019 — ... priests. It is thought to be the ... What's your area like for young people? Presentational grey line. India bishop accused of rape arrested ...


The Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
https://www.iicsa.org.uk › executive-summary

Clergy and others associated with the Roman Catholic Church. The sexual offending involved acts of masturbation, oral sex, vaginal rape and anal rape. On ...


Child Sex Abusers in Protestant Christian Churches

Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice & Criminology
https://www.qualitativecriminology.com › pub

by AS Denney · 2023 · Cited by 4 — Examples of the information recorded are the sex offense(s) charged (e.g., CSA, rape), the physical location of the offense (e.g. ...


Spanish Catholic clergy sexually abused more than ...

Le Monde.fr
https://www.lemonde.fr › Religion › Sexual violence

Oct 28, 2023 — ... clergy since 1950. Le Monde with AFP. In English-speaking parts of Cameroon, rape is used as weapon of war · JPMorgan to pay $75 million on ...


Retired priest charged with sexually assaulting preteen ...

CBC
https://www.cbc.ca › news › canada › manitoba › histor...

Aug 1, 2024 — An 81-year-old retired priest has been charged with rape in connection with the sexual assault of a preteen girl who was a parishioner at his western Manitoba ...


List of Maryland Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse

Jenner Law
https://www.jennerlawfirm.com › list-of-accused

The term “sexual abuse” encompasses various forms of sexual assault and sexual misconduct. This includes but is not limited to rape, incest, carnal knowledge, ...


Defense rests in rape trial of ex-Cape Cod priest Mark ...

Cape Cod Times
https://www.capecodtimes.com › news › 2024/06/13 › f...

Jun 13, 2024 — Closing statements in the trial of former Cape Cod priest Mark Hession, accused of rape, are expected on Friday morning.


Michigan's clergy abuse probe identifies 454 accused ...

MLive.com
https://www.mlive.com › news › 2020/10 › states-clerg...

Oct 21, 2020 — Jacob Vellian, a former priest at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Benton Harbor, was charged in May 2019 with two counts of rape. His ...


'Predator priests': 50-plus Altoona-Johnstown Catholic ...

PennLive.com
https://www.pennlive.com › news › 2016/03 › predator_...

Mar 1, 2016 — Allegations of rape, abuse and cover ups are nothing new for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.


Clergy Abused an Entire Generation in This Village. With ...

ProPublica
https://www.propublica.org › article › stebbins-st-micha...

Jul 26, 2019 — ... priests and Catholic church personnel shipped to the village of St. ... “It [was] physical and cultural rape by the Jesuit order and Catholic ...


Report on Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo names 19 former ...

fox17online.com
https://www.fox17online.com › local-news › kzoo-bc

May 22, 2024 — 19 priests are listed in the report. They are accused of grooming ... Vellian was charged in 2019 with two counts of rape. According to ...


UN Peacekeeping has a Sexual Abuse Problem

Human Rights Watch
https://www.hrw.org › news › 2020/01/11 › un-peacekee...

Jan 11, 2020 — ... rape. “I felt outside of my body like I did not have all my senses.” After we talked, she introduced me to her daughter conceived from the rape.


D.A. wishes former priest had not plead guilty to rape

Audacy
https://www.audacy.com › WWL › News › Local

1 day ago — Why was the top prosecutor in New Orleans somewhat disappointed that a 93-year-old former Catholic priest plead guilty to rape, ...


Michigan report details sexual abuse by priests since 1971

Kansas City Star
https://www.kansascity.com › news › article288675680

May 23, 2024 — Criminal charges. Eleven Catholic priests in Michigan were prosecuted. Nine of them faced sexual assault charges, one was convicted of rape, and ...


Native American children endured years of sexual abuse at ...

The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com › interactive › sexual-...

May 29, 2024 — But the report did not detail the schools where sexual abuse happened, the number of children raped or molested, or the names of priests and ...


Archdiocese of Los Angeles agrees to pay $880 million ...

NPR
https://www.npr.org › 2024/10/17 › archdiocese-los-an...

Oct 17, 2024 — The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $880 million to victims of clergy sexual abuse in what an attorney said was the largest ...


List of Those Credibly Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Minor

Congregation of Holy Cross
https://www.holycrossusa.org › list-of-those-credibly-ac...

sexual abuse of a minor has been deemed credible. An allegation is deemed ... Priests and Brothers. None of the individuals on the list is currently in ...


Archdiocese of St. Louis sued over clergy sexual abuse ...

STLPR
https://www.stlpr.org › law-order › survivors-of-sexual-...

Jul 25, 2024 — The Archdiocese of St. Louis knowingly enabled and concealed the sexual abuse of children by priests and nuns for decades, says a new lawsuit filed Wednesday


A look at earlier rape, sexual abuse reports in Boys Town's ...

The Des Moines Register
https://www.desmoinesregister.com › local › 2023/11/01

Nov 1, 2023 — Here are prominent Boys Town cases of sexual abuse, rape reported over the years. Some decades-old credible accusations of sexual abuse by ...


List of Jesuits with Credible Accusations of Sexual Abuse of a ...

jesuitscentralsouthern.org
https://www.jesuitscentralsouthern.org › about-us › list-...

Dec. 7, 2018 – The Jesuits U.S. Central and Southern Province today released a list of names of Jesuits with credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor.


Two more Catholic priests accused of child sexual abuse in ...

Las Cruces Sun-News
https://www.lcsun-news.com › story › news › 2020/08/04

Aug 5, 2024 — Civil complaints were filed against the two priests, as well as the Las Cruces and El Paso dioceses and the parishes where the alleged sexual ...


Archdiocese of St. Louis concealed sexual abuse, MO suit ...

Kansas City Star
https://www.kansascity.com › state › article290461264

Jul 26, 2024 — A lawsuit accuses the the Catholic diocese in St. Louis of covering up the sexual abuse of children by religious leaders for decades.


Priests With Credible Allegations

Catholic Diocese of Dallas
https://dallascatholic.org › list

All active and former priests in the Diocese dating back to 1950 to identify any allegations of the sexual abuse of minors.


Status of Clergy – Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Archdiocese of Philadelphia
https://archphila.org › office-of-investigations › status-o...

Archdiocesan Clergy whose ministry has been restricted and faculties withdrawn due to credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor.


List of Clergy | Catholic Diocese of Cleveland

Diocese of Cleveland
https://www.dioceseofcleveland.org › healing › list-of-c...

Below is a list of those diocesan clerics against whom have been made substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse along with two additional lists.


Priests, Deacons, Seminarians and Religious with Credible ...

Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina
https://charlestondiocese.org › list

Mar 29, 2019 — This list includes the names of those priests credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors in the Diocese dating back to 1950.


Clergy Against whom Allegations have been made

Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
https://diopitt.org › clergy-allegations

This list includes the names of clergy of the Diocese of Pittsburgh against whom allegations of child sexual abuse were made dating from 1935 to the present.


Diocesan Priests with Substantiated Claims of Abuse

Diocese of Buffalo
https://www.buffalodiocese.org › substantiated-list

Cleric: A person ordained for service in the Roman Catholic Church. Complaint: An allegation of child or vulnerable adult abuse or sexual abuse of a child ...


List of Clergy with Credible Allegations of Sexual Abuse ...

Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth
https://fwdioc.org › clergy-with-credible-allegations

In 2007, the Diocese of Fort Worth became the first diocese in Texas to include a list of credibly accused priests on its website.

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