NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The Diocese of Rockville Center on Long Island announced Thursday that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits filed under the state's Child Victims Act.
Bishop John Barres made the announcement, citing financial pressure amid payments to childhood victims of clergy sexual abuse under the act, which extended the statute of limitations for survivors. He said more than 200 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse had been filed against the diocese.
"What became clear is that the Diocese could not continue to carry out its spiritual, charitable and educational missions while also having to shoulder the increasingly heavy burden of litigation expenses associated with these cases," Barres said in a press release.
Barres said Chapter 11 bankruptcy offers the only way to "ensure a fair and equitable outcome for everyone involved, including abuse survivors whose compensation settlements will be resolved by the courts."
The diocese said it compensated about 350 survivors, paying more than $62 million.
In a statement, spokesman Sean Dolan said, "operations of the parishes and schools are expected to continue as normal."
Dolan said the diocese has also suffered from a strain on its finances because of the coronavirus pandemic. He said 40% of its annual revenue comes from offertory collections that have "dropped precipitously with attendance at Sunday Mass."
More than 20 Catholic dioceses nationwide have filed for bankruptcy amid similar lawsuits.
