ALBUQUERQUE (NM)
Associated Press
December 8, 2020
An attorney for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe is claiming alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse and their lawyers are seeking to eliminate the Roman Catholic organization by forcing it to use all of its assets to settle complaints.
Tom Walker, the archdiocese’s lawyer, made the claim during a court hearing Monday about three lawsuits alleging the archdiocese illegally transferred about $245 million to parishes and their trusts before filing for bankruptcy. The suits accuse the archdiocese of attempting to shield the assets from being used to pay settlements in civil lawsuits claiming sexual abuse by priests.
The alleged victims want to eliminate the physical presence of the Church by forcing it to sell all its property, Walker said.
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