MINNESOTA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release Thursday, February 13, 2014
Statement by Frank Meuers of Plymouth MN, leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 952-334-5180, frankameuers@gmail.com )
The Archdiocese of Minneapolis admits to having spent $8.8 million over the past decade on costs related to clergy misconduct. We suspect this is misleading. We suspect the real figure is significantly higher.
And we suspect Catholic officials are using these figures to begin convincing people that they’re poor so they can pressure victims to file fewer lawsuits and settle those cases more quickly and cheaply.
Usually, when Catholic officials do this, they take many deceptive steps to minimize their wealth. Usually, they deliberately avoid mentioning their many investments, parishes, cemeteries, schools and their for-profit enterprises. Usually, they value properties at the cost they bought buildings for decades ago, and not at the cost for which they could be sold these days.
Bishop Lee Piché is being disingenuous. He claims he’s disclosing this because “it’s the right thing to do.” He’s half right – it IS the right thing to do. But it’s being done because Catholic officials have been caught – repeatedly and recently – deceiving parents, parishioners and the public.
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