At least 65 Coloradans abused as children by Catholic clergy eligible for reparations from dioceses

By Elise Schmelzer
Denver Post
October 7, 2019

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As members of a committee look on, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, left, speaks during a news conference to announce that a compensation program for victims of abuse by Catholic priests is now open for the submission of claims Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, in Denver. Administrators said that they were sending out packets to 65 people who previously reported abuse to the church to ask if they would like to submit a claim against the three archdioceses–Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo.

Kenneth Feinberg, left, who is leading a program to compensate people who were abused by Catholic priests in Colorado, chats with Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser as members of the investigative committee follow them into a news conference to announce that the program is now open for the submission of claims Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, in Denver. Administrators said that they were sending out packets to 65 people who previously reported abuse to the church to ask if they would like to submit a claim against the three archdioceses–Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo.

At least 65 people who were abused as children by Catholic clergy in Colorado are eligible to apply for reparations from the state’s three dioceses, officials said Monday.

As part of a review of the dioceses’ handling of sex abuse reports, they hired a nationally-known firm to decide which victims should be compensated outside the court process and how much each victim should receive. Kenneth Feinberg, one of the compensation administrators, said Monday that his firm already sent paperwork to start the reparations process to 65 victims who previously reported abuse.

The number offers the first glimpse of the scope of abuse in the state as the independent review ordered by the Colorado Attorney General’s office nears completion.

“Sixty-five, relative to some other states, is not a huge number, thank goodness,” Feinberg said.

Beginning Monday, those who have been abused by diocesan clergy in Colorado can file with the firm for reparations. The program allows victims to seek compensation without a public lawsuit and the adversarial nature of civil litigation, said Feinberg, who has administered similar programs in New Jersey, New York, California and Pennsylvania. It is also open to those who couldn’t sue due to the civil statute of limitation.

The reparations program is part of a review of sex abuse by Colorado clergy announced in February by Attorney General Phil Weiser. Colorado’s review is limited compared to inquiries in other states, however. Investigators cannot compel the church to produce documents or testimony, and its scope excludes any allegations of abuse against religious order priests, hundreds of which work in Colorado with the permission of the dioceses.

The review, led by former Colorado U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, is expected to be completed and released this fall, Weiser said Monday. The compensation program is overseen by a committee headed by former U.S. Senator Hank Brown.

The Archdiocese of Denver, the Diocese of Pueblo and the Diocese of Colorado Springs have agreed to pay any amount determined by Feinberg and his co-administrator, Camille Biros. The dioceses cannot challenge the pair’s decisions and there is no cap to the amount that can be awarded. The dioceses are also footing the bill for the work of Feinberg and Biros.

People who were abused by religious order priests are not eligible for compensation for the program, nor are family members of victims who have died.

If victims accept the compensation, they waive their right to file a lawsuit about the abuse but can still talk publicly about what happened to them, Feinberg said.

In other states payments have ranged from $10,000 to $500,000, Feinberg said. He and Biros consider the severity of the abuse, the number of incidents and other factors when determining an amount, he said.

People who have never reported their abuse previously have until Nov. 30 to file a claim for compensation. Those who previously have reported abuse have until Jan. 31. Those who wish to file a claim can call 833-521-0015 or online at www.coloradodiocesesirrp.com.