Tucson bishop feels 'blessed' by those who resolved sex abuse claims

Published: 2005-07-14

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- As he emerged from a bankruptcy court decision that reorganized his diocese financially to compensate childhood victims of clergy sexual abuse, Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., said that "we were blessed" by the willingness of all parties to cooperate on settling the case. The $22.2 million agreement "will certainly be a sacrifice" for the church throughout the diocese "but it is a sacrifice that needs to be made in order to begin the healing of people who have been harmed in the household of the faith," he said July 13 in a telephone interview with Catholic News Service. At a hearing two days earlier in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Tucson, Judge James M. Marlar announced that he would confirm the agreement reached by the diocese, victims, insurers and other parties. His written ruling was expected before the end of the month. Bishop Kicanas said, "Probably for me the most encouraging moment happened at the confirmation hearing, when we held a joint press conference. I sat next to the victims, their lawyer, our legal team and together (we) expressed our sense that justice had been served. ... You could see that consensual agreement visibly in our sitting at a common table."

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .