Sunday, September 17, 2006
Life after "terrible storm clouds of California"
Brian T. Olszewski reports in our Catholic Herald on the aftermath of the settlement of Californial clergy sexual abuse cases involving priests from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Archbishop Dolan said he had five goals.
What went into determining the insurers' share has not been explained. Neither has what kept the claims from being settled earlier, say before the retroactive lifting of the statute of limitations gave the claimants enormous leverage.
If these numbers then do not include what our Archdiocese has paid in legal fees, I'd like an update on how many millions that has been.
It sure doesn't sound like they expect to break even on the Cousins Center.
Studied? Aren't the California plaintiffs' lawyers expecting checks?
Foxes have their dens and birds have their nests, but the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has nowhere to deliver its services. ¶ 9/17/2006 07:53:00 AM
The fourth goal was to have the insurance companies assume financial responsibility for their part of the settlement, and the fifth goal was to resolve all of the cases.
What went into determining the insurers' share has not been explained. Neither has what kept the claims from being settled earlier, say before the retroactive lifting of the statute of limitations gave the claimants enormous leverage.
While the $8.25 million is less than what the archdiocese might have had to pay had the cases gone to trial, it represents a significant commitment by the archdiocese, which has paid $11 million over the last 10 years in compensation to victims of clergy sexual abuse.
If these numbers then do not include what our Archdiocese has paid in legal fees, I'd like an update on how many millions that has been.
Part of the archdiocese's settlement will come from the sale of the Archbishop Cousins Center. That building, opened as De Sales Preparatory Seminary in 1963, was built for $8 million. Depending upon the money the sale of that facility generates, the remainder of the settlement will be fulfilled by selling investments.
It sure doesn't sound like they expect to break even on the Cousins Center.
According to Jerry Topczewski, the archbishop’s chief of staff, that matter will be studied by Wayne Schneider, archdiocesan treasurer and chief financial officer, and the archdiocesan finance council.
Studied? Aren't the California plaintiffs' lawyers expecting checks?
The archbishop spoke of "sacrifices in operations and ministries," but added, "I would be reluctant to see any cuts in services or apostolates. The cuts might come in the means we have to deliver those services, like buildings and property."
Foxes have their dens and birds have their nests, but the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has nowhere to deliver its services. ¶ 9/17/2006 07:53:00 AM
