Victims slam San Diego church bankruptcy filing
LOS ANGELES (CA)
Stuff
Reuters | Thursday, 1 March 2007
LOS ANGELES: Victims of sexual abuse by priests said the decision by the San Diego Catholic Diocese to file for bankruptcy was a bid by church leaders to hide the truth about "horrific clergy sex crimes and cover ups."
The diocese, which has nearly 1 million members, became the fifth and largest in the United States to file for bankruptcy in the face of dozens of lawsuits from people claiming they were abused by priests who were repeatedly transferred by bishops rather than reported to police.
Speaking to reporters in front of St Joseph's Cathedral in San Diego, David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) said the decision "will only delay the truth coming out."
He said Bishop Robert Brom "claims he's concerned about church assets, but SNAP and others are convinced he wants to avoid embarrassing files and damaging testimony about his role in horrific clergy sex crimes and cover-ups."