联邦法官驳回了奥克兰教区的破产救济计划，该计划本可解决近330起性侵犯索赔。
A federal judge has rejected the Oakland Diocese’s bankruptcy relief plan that would have resolved nearly 330 sexual abuse claims.
AZUCENA RASILLA/The Oaklandside 联邦法官驳回了奥克兰教区的破产救济计划，该计划本可解决近330起性侵犯索赔。该法官于10月2日的裁决是在奥克兰教区因参与度下降以及与1960年至1990年间发生的性侵犯案件相关的持续财务危机而申请破产三年后作出的。
AZUCENA RASILLA/The Oaklandside A federal judge has rejected the Oakland Diocese’s bankruptcy relief plan that would have resolved nearly 330 sexual abuse claims. The judge’s Oct. 2 decision comes three years after the Oakland Diocese filed for bankruptcy due to declining participation and an ongoing financial crisis linked to sexual abuse cases dating between 1960 and 1990.
威廉·J·拉弗蒂法官驳回了教区在通过破产和解过程中提出的许多论点，包括其作为宗教机构应享有特殊考虑的主张、教区对其众多房地产资产的估值，以及应向幸存者支付的总额。根据教区两年前提交的破产计划，教会欠款在1.6亿至1.98亿美元之间。
Judge William J. Lafferty dismissed many of the diocese’s arguments in its bid to settle through bankruptcy, including wanting special considerations given its status as a religious institution, the diocese’s valuation of its many real estate assets, and the total amount owed to survivors. According to the diocese’s bankruptcy plan submitted two years ago, the church owes between $160 million and $198 million.
作为第11章破产案的一部分，教区需出售东湾地区的13座教堂，其中7座位于奥克兰。拉弗蒂在其109页的裁决中写道：“法院再次强调，该计划的不足之处在于证明不足，而非构思不周。”“另一种计划可能要求债务人作出不同或更大的贡献，但法院目前尚不清楚这样的提议是否不可能——而当前计划的一些方面，包括该计划中幸存者信托的替代付款来源，表明另一种计划是可行的。”
As part of the Chapter 11 case, the diocese is to sell 13 churches in the East Bay, 7 of them in Oakland“The Court stresses, again, that the insufficiencies of this Plan arise from failures of proof, not of conception,”
教区申请破产时，美国受托人办公室任命了一个由九人组成的官方委员会，此后该委员会一直与教区合作，监督第11章案件的管理、运营和商业计划。委员会全体成员一致否决了教区的计划。
Lafferty wrote in his 109-page decision“It may be that another plan would require a different or larger contribution from the Debtor, but it is far from clear to the Court that such a proposal is impossible — and some aspects of the current Plan, including the alternative sources of payment to the Survivors’ Trust contained in this Plan, suggest that an alternative plan is realizable.”When the diocese filed for bankruptcy, the Office of the United States Trustee appointed a nine-member official committee that has since been actively working with the diocese in overseeing the administration of the Chapter 11 case, operations, and business plans. All members of the committee unanimously rejected the diocese’s plan.
2023年10月2日，迈克尔·C·巴伯主教在回应法院裁决时写道：“虽然今天是一次挫折，但我们仍致力于为幸存者提供公平公正的待遇，并继续我们的使命——在服务本社区50万名忠实天主教徒的过程中宣扬耶稣基督的福音。”该信件已发布在奥克兰教区网站的第11章破产页面上。
In a letter dated Oct. 2, Bishop Michael C. Barber wrote, in response to the court’s decision, “While today is a setback, we remain committed to providing fair and equitable treatment for the survivors, and to continuing our mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in service to the 500,000 faithful Catholics in our community.”The letter is posted on the Oakland Diocese’s Chapter 11 page on its website.
巴伯于2024年向幸存者致歉，写道：“我看到了教会代表所造成的痛苦和破坏。正如我之前的主教一样，我表达诚挚、完整且无条件的道歉。我深感抱歉。”此报道最初由《奥克兰赛德》发表，并通过与美联社的合作伙伴关系进行分发。
Barber issued an apology to survivors in 2024, writing “I see the pain and destruction that was perpetrated by representatives of the Church. Like my predecessor bishops before me, I convey a sincere, complete, and unconditional apology. I am deeply sorry.”This story was originally published by The Oaklandside and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.