MILWAUKEE: Bankrupt Catholic Archdiocese To Reorganize With $21M Payout To Abuse Victims

The Associated Press reports:

A reorganization plan for Milwaukee’s Roman Catholic archdiocese that will distribute $21 million to hundreds of clergy sex abuse victims won approval Monday from a federal bankruptcy judge, bringing closure to a long-running and emotional case. The plan confirmed by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Susan Kelley splits most of the money among 355 people. Another category of 104 victims will get about $2,000 each. There also are provisions for victims to receive counseling. Shortly before the deal was approved, Archbishop Jerome Listecki addressed the court and repeated his apology to victims as well as his hope that “we have turned the corner in the history of the archdiocese.” At several points as he spoke, however, a packed gallery of victims and advocates coughed, groaned and even quietly booed. A dozen Catholic dioceses nationwide have filed for bankruptcy in the past decade over abuse claims in a widespread scandal that rocked the church. Milwaukee’s settlement, announced in early August, includes some of the smallest per-victim payments — a heavily criticized aspect of the deal.

In 2013 it was revealed that now-Cardinal Timothy Dolan sought and received Vatican permission to hide $57M in Milwaukee archdiocese money in a cemetery fund where it was unreachable by sexual abuse victims. Dolan was the archbishop of Milwaukee at that time.