BALTIMORE (MD)
WBAL-TV, NBC-11 [Baltimore MD]
September 8, 2025
By Kate Amara
The latest hearing in the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s bankruptcy case became heated on Monday.
Part of the day’s proceedings were for housekeeping matters and scheduling, but the court also took up a pair of contested matters — the first being so heated that the judge halted arguments before lunch and said they’ll finish up at a hearing next week.
In August, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michelle Harner released her written opinion that granted a request for clergy sex abuse survivors to again address the court.
The judge wrote that granting the status conference is an opportunity for survivors to check in with the court and for the debtor and other parties in the case to share their perspective.
The archdiocese participated in two previous proceedings in which the court heard victims’ statements and previously said it would do so once more, as long as participants filed claims in the case.
The judge also took up a contested and contentious matter on Monday: The debtor’s request to lease a large piece of land in Baltimore County to a tenant that wants to build a solar farm.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore pushed for a judge to approve the lease agreement for a portion of the 102 acres it owns in Baltimore County at York and Belfast roads to CI Renewables.
On the stand in court on Monday, the archdiocese’s chief financial officer said it’s the best use of the property, it’s a needed revenue stream and would generate at least $160,000 per year.
The creditor committee, which represents more than 900 adult victims of child, clergy sexual abuse, objected to the lease and raised evidentiary concerns. The committee also accused the church of operating in secrecy, failing to tell its creditors or the court about plans to rent the land until last month.
In addition, the committee said the archdiocese won’t share the draft lease agreement without an NDA — though the church’s legal team said the proposed tenant is requesting confidentiality, not the archdiocese.
Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, D-District 46, is also senior counsel and vice president of CI Renewables.
Ferguson said they don’t have lease terms to disclose because it’s still subject to negotiations.
In a statement, David Schulein, a spokesperson for Ferguson, said: “The Senate president works for CI Renewables, whose commercial team won a competitive and open bid process. The Senate president follows, like his colleagues, clear ethical guidelines that ensure that there is no conflict between his work as a part-time legislator and his work as a private citizen.”
Survivors will give impact statements at a hearing on Nov. 3 that the Archbishop will attend. Dec. 1 is the deadline for the court to rule on the motion to dismiss.