St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese Plan Offers at Least $65 Million to Creditors

MINNESOTA
WDAY

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has filed a bankruptcy reorganization plan that would set aside at least $65 million to pay clergy abuse victims and other creditors.

The plan filed Thursday also would create a $500,000 fund to pay for counseling for survivors.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda says he believes the plan is fair but might need modifications. He says the church wants a just and timely resolution. See prepared remarks from Hebda at an afternoon news conference here.

Lawyer Jeff Anderson, whose firm has filed most of the abuse claims against the archdiocese since Minnesota gave survivors of past abuse a new chance to sue, says he’s reviewing the plan but calls it “predictably deficient.” He accused the archdiocese this week of sheltering more than $1 billion in assets to avoid big payouts to abuse survivors.

The Archdiocese’s Bankruptcy Reorganization Plan also includes what’s…