PORTLAND (OR)
KGW8-TV
September 29, 2019
By Michael Rollins
Cardinal William J. Levada, who oversaw the Archdiocese of Portland during turbulent years that eventually brought to light, child abuse by priests, has died at age 83, according to the Catholic News Agency.
Levada died September 25, according to the story with a Vatican City dateline. He served as the Portland archbishop from 1986 to 1995, when he became archbishop of San Francisco. Levada was named a cardinal in 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI.
“I was very saddened to learn of the death of my predecessor as Archbishop of Portland, Cardinal Levada. We are sincerely grateful to God for his years of service here as our shepherd. He is fondly remembered. May God grant him the reward of a good and faithful servant,” current Archbishop of Portland Alexander K. Sample said in a Facebook post.
In 2004, the archdiocese declared bankruptcy, paying out over previous years about $53 million to over 100 victims who claimed child abuse by priests, which Levada reportedly learned of after he came to Portland. It was the first bankruptcy of an American diocese to deal with the financial fallout of priest abuse.
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