Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - "We want to help these poor sexual abuse victims, but taking from us is against everything in our moral code," said Mary Pruski of Save Our Buffalo Churches during an appearance with WBEN on Thursday.
The Buffalo Catholic Diocese is requesting $80 million from parishes to go toward the $150 million clergy abuse settlement.
Many parishioners have said the amount of the contributions is akin to pulling the rug out from beneath them.
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Our Lady of Perpetual Help, for example, in Buffalo's Old First Ward is appealing closure. It is being asked to contribute $36,000 toward the settlement. The church is currently $5,000 short of the needed funds. The payment would wipe out all of their funds.
WBEN has also learned that St. Benedict's allocation would be $1.98 million, while St. Leo's is at $17,000. St. Gregory the Great is also reported to be $2.7 million.
"We would rather donate and work toward it," said Pruski. "It shouldn't be, we want all of your money and we want it now."
She referred to the contributions as an "excessive tax."
Pruski also wants to know where else has the Diocese looked for money.
"We're helping people with parishes that are set to close. We're now looking into where else we can find funding," she said.
Pruski adds people from far and wide are reaching out to them about the settlement.
"We've been contacted by an agency that has a unique opening into some funding. We're talking with them," she said. "We want to be part of the solution, but we can't have our churches pummeled into the ground with no other options for keeping us alive."
Civil lawyers and other organizations are also looking into grants and loans, and other revenue streams. Otherwise, she said they will keep walking toward bankruptcy in all of the parishes.