L.A. Archdiocese to sell chancery to fund future abuse settlements

Published: 2007-05-16

LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles said May 15 that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles would sell its chancery building, the Archdiocesan Catholic Center, to help fund future settlements in sex abuse cases. In December the archdiocese settled 46 civil cases of sexual abuse for $60 million. Its share of the settlement was about $40 million, with the remainder covered by insurance companies or religious orders. At the time the settlement was announced, the archdiocese said its share had been anticipated and set aside in 2005. Cardinal Mahony said the archdiocese now must be prepared to fund its share of coming settlements in all remaining cases, estimated at more than 500. "It is only right that the archdiocese begin this process by demonstrating our commitment to reach final settlement in these cases by selling our central administrative building," the cardinal said in his May 15 statement. He said the archdiocese would either lease office space for chancery functions, or lease back some space in the existing building.

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