Federal Judge Randa Grants Catholic Church Right To Shield $57 Million From Sexual Abuse Victims

WISCONSIN
Opposing Views

By Jonathan Wolfe, Wed, July 31, 2013

U.S. District Judge Rudolph T. Randa has ruled that the Archdiocese of Milwaukee can shield $57 million from creditors in sexual abuse settlements because the money is in a fund designated for maintaining cemeteries. Judge Randa says the money is shielded in accordance with the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedoms.

The money in the fund was in dispute because the Archdiocese of Milwaukee recently filed for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy filing was largely, if not entirely, caused by the amount of money the Archdiocese owes in settlements to victims of the church’s sexual abuse. According to Think Progress, over 45 Milwaukee priests face sexual abuse accusations. One priest has been accused of molesting over 200 deaf boys.

Ordinarily, $57 million in assets would be seized during a bankruptcy filing. But Judge Randa Ruled that the cemeteries are sacred to followers of the Catholic Church. As sacred sites, Randa says, funding for them is shielded from the government in accordance with the church’s free exercise of religion.

“The care and maintenance of Catholic cemeteries, cemetery property, and the remains of those interred is a fundamental exercise of the Catholic faith,” Randa said. “If the Trust’s funds are converted into the bankruptcy estate, there will be no funds or, at best, insufficient funds for the perpetual care of the Milwaukee Catholic Cemeteries.”

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