NEW MEXICO
Gallup Independent

Published in the Gallup Independent, Gallup, NM, March 3, 2014

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Independent correspondent
religion@gallupindependent.com

ALBUQUERQUE – It’s been nearly four months since the Diocese of Gallup filed for Chapter 11 reorganization, and a bar date deadline for clergy abuse claimants still has not been announced.

In a preliminary hearing Feb. 14, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge David T. Thuma expressed concern that considerable time has been devoted to sorting out a number of problematic bank accounts in the Gallup Diocese while more effort needs to be focused on moving the case toward settlement.

With references to the contentious bankruptcy case of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Thuma made it clear he did not want the Gallup Diocese case to follow down that same path. The Milwaukee Archdiocese has reportedly spent more than $11 million in litigation fees while only proposing to set aside…