Spokane Diocese Appeals; Others React

The Associated Press reported yesterday that, as expected, the Diocese of Spokane has appealed a bankruptcy judge's decision that churches and parochial schools were assets of the Diocese that can be sold off in the Diocese's bankruptcy proceedings. (See prior posting.) The bankruptcy filing was necessitated by claims against the Diocese for clergy sexual abuse. The National Catholic Reporter this week in an editorial titled Bankruptcy: The Gamble That Backfired criticized the Diocese of Spokane and the Archdiocese of Portland for filing for bankruptcy. Meanwhile, Catholics in Tuscon, Arizona are considering separately incorporating Arizona parishes to shield their assets from being sold off for debts of the Diocese after the Diocese filed for bankruptcy and settled with clergy sexual abuse victims.