BALTIMORE (MD)
National Today [San Francisco, CA]
April 16, 2026
By National Today
Clergy sex abuse survivors claim the archdiocese is offloading assets to avoid paying creditors
Clergy sex abuse survivors in Baltimore have accused the Archdiocese of Baltimore of violating bankruptcy rules by continuing to sell parish and school properties during its Chapter 11 proceedings. The survivors argue the archdiocese is offloading assets and hiding them from creditors, while the archdiocese claims the properties are separate entities not subject to the bankruptcy case.
Why it matters
The case highlights the ongoing battle between the Catholic Church and clergy abuse survivors seeking compensation, as the archdiocese attempts to navigate the complex bankruptcy process and protect its assets from creditors’ claims.
The details
At a recent bankruptcy hearing, survivors and other creditors filed a motion seeking a court-ordered freeze on the sale of parish and school properties, arguing the transactions violate Chapter 11 rules. The archdiocese claims the properties are separate entities, and some sales require approval from the Vatican and religious paperwork. However, Auxiliary Bishop Adam Parker admitted that more than $15 million from the sales will go to the archdiocese’s bank account.
- The latest bankruptcy hearing took place on Thursday, April 17, 2026.
- The judge has set a preliminary hearing for next week to discuss the submitted bankruptcy plans.
The players
Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Catholic archdiocese in Baltimore, Maryland that has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid clergy sex abuse lawsuits.
Archbishop William Lori
The Archbishop of Baltimore who was subpoenaed to testify at the bankruptcy hearing but filed a challenge to avoid appearing.
Auxiliary Bishop Adam Parker
The second-in-command to Archbishop Lori who testified at the hearing and admitted that over $15 million from parish and school property sales will go to the archdiocese’s bank account.
Teresa Lancaster
A clergy sex abuse survivor who argued that the archdiocese is claiming the parishes are separate entities, even though Archbishop Lori is the president of the parishes and 5% of the sale proceeds go to the archdiocese.
Frank Schindler
Another clergy sex abuse survivor who expressed disappointment that Archbishop Lori did not testify as expected.
What they’re saying
“They keep claiming the parishes are separate and apart from the archdiocese, even though Lori is the president of the parishes, and 5% of the sale of parish property gets kicked back into the archdiocese.”
— Teresa Lancaster, Clergy sex abuse survivor
“I would like to address the elephant who’s not in the room, and that’s Archbishop Lori. Apparently, Archbishop Lori doesn’t think it’s important to be here to talk about what they are going to do for survivors.”
— Frank Schindler, Clergy sex abuse survivor
“Yes, the ‘debtor’ is listed on those deeds.”
— Auxiliary Bishop Adam Parker
“This has really impacted so many people over so many decades now, so we’re looking for healing for us as the Catholic family throughout the archdiocese, as well as for victims, survivors.”
— Auxiliary Bishop Adam Parker
What’s next
The judge has set a preliminary hearing for next week to discuss the submitted bankruptcy plans.
The takeaway
This case highlights the ongoing tension between the Catholic Church and clergy abuse survivors, as the Archdiocese of Baltimore navigates the complex bankruptcy process and attempts to protect its assets from creditors’ claims. The survivors argue the archdiocese is violating bankruptcy rules, while the archdiocese claims the parish and school properties are separate entities.