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  Spokane Catholic Diocese Releases Bankruptcy Plan
No Plans Yet to Sell Parishes in the Mid-Columbia

KVEW [Spokane WA]
October 10, 2005

The headquarters of the Spokane Catholic Diocese could be sold, under a plan to get the church out of bankruptcy.

The Catholic Diocese of Spokane will sell its headquarters and the home of Bishop William Skylstad to settle claims of people who contend they were sexually abused by priests, according to a plan filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Monday. But the issue of who owns individual parishes, schools and other Catholic property in the diocese is still unresolved, so the plan carries few specifics on the amount of money that would be available for victims.

Attorneys for victims called the reorganization plan another delay tactic by the diocese, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last December. Diocese attorney Shaun Cross acknowledged that the plan to emerge from bankruptcy does not include the usual financial worth information because the issue of assets is not decided. But he says the plan "creates a framework for the resolution of all claims in a global way."

Skylstad, in Rome on church business, issued a statement saying the plan deals justly with the claims of clergy sex abuse, while allowing the Spokane Diocese to continue its ministry.

 
 

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