Western Oregon Catholics named defendants in bankruptcy case

Published: 2005-07-29

PORTLAND, Ore. (CNS) -- About 80,000 Catholic households in western Oregon will soon get notice that they have been named defendants in the Archdiocese of Portland's bankruptcy case. The legal move emerged as a way to make progress on a central question of the case: Who owns Catholic parishes and schools? Catholic households are to be notified of the action this summer by mail and newspaper ads. Both the archdiocese and the committee representing scores of sex abuse plaintiffs agreed to the plan. No parishioner or church donor will need individually to pay sex abuse claims if their side loses the class action suit. But they could see their parish or school assets sold or put up as collateral for loans to fund settlements. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Perris July 22 approved the move, which will formally include more than 389,000 Catholics in the yearlong bankruptcy process.

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