SPOKANE – The number of claims of sexual abuse by priests in the Catholic Diocese of Spokane has jumped to at least 176, more than double since the diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a year ago.
Friday was the deadline imposed by the bankruptcy court for victims to file claims, and at least 176 had been received, church lawyers said. They will likely cost many millions of dollars to settle.
Church attorney Greg Arpin of Spokane declined to give the exact number of claims during a brief interview on Monday, saying they were still being tabulated.
Earlier this year, Bishop William Skylstad offered $45.7 million to settle with 75 people who had filed claims against the diocese.
But that offer will require the approval of the bankruptcy court, the victims, and finding the money among the assets of the small diocese.
Much of the money is likely to be raised from the 82 individual parishes and parishioners that make up the diocese. The Association of Parishes, which represents the 82 parishes, fears the bankruptcy price tag will exceed $80 million.
The diocese had initially estimated that more than 20 additional victims would come forward before Friday’s deadline.
“They were wrong,” said Joe Shickich, the Seattle attorney appointed to represent a class of victims who had not filed lawsuits or hired attorneys.
Though the deadline has passed, there is a possibility of even more victims.
The bankruptcy includes plans for a special class of victims who have yet to file allegations of abuse by clergy. These still-unknown victims are referred to as future claimants and are not bound by Friday’s deadline.
They include children who may have been abused recently or are now being abused; victims of past abuse who have repressed memories; victims who know they were abused but haven’t yet realized that the abuse is a cause of their problems; and others with reasons precluding them from filing claims before Friday.
So far at least a dozen priests, including some deceased, have been accused of sexual abuse. Skylstad himself last week announced that he was named in one complaint by a woman who contends he molested her four decades ago in Spokane. Skylstad has vehemently denied her allegations.
Besides the claims filed by alleged victims of clergy sex abuse, the diocese faces other claims. Each parish, for example, filed a claim to protect its assets. Among them: St. Augustine Parish and Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral have each filed $10 million claims against the bankruptcy.
The diocese filed for federal bankruptcy protection in November 2004, making it one of three dioceses in the U.S. seeking bankruptcy protection to handle hundreds of sex-abuse claims and lawsuits.
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