New Orleans Archdiocese Files For Bankruptcy Amid Pandemic

On May 1, 2020, the Archdiocese of New Orleans filed for bankruptcy. It was the first Catholic diocese in the United States to seek bankruptcy protection during the pandemic. The archdiocese gave two reasons for the bankruptcy filing:

1. The New Orleans Archdiocese faces a growing number of clergy abuse lawsuits.
2. The New Orleans Archdiocese lost revenue because of the COVID-19 restrictions.

This filing primarily affects three groups: priest abuse victims with pending cases, survivors looking to file new cases and the archdiocese’s debt holders. The bankruptcy filing halted open clergy abuse lawsuits filed against the archdiocese. 

Catholic Dioceses File For Bankruptcy

Since 2004, 25 American dioceses have filed for bankruptcy. The New Orleans Archdiocese is one of the latest to do so. These Catholic dioceses filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to handle a growing number of sex abuse claims.

New Orleans Archdiocese Seeks Bankruptcy Protection

The Archdiocese of New Orleans faced allegations of priest abuse for years. In 2018, the archdiocese released a list naming more than 50 clergy members accused of abuse. These clergy members were removed from ministry because of credible sex abuse allegations.

Subsequently, the archdiocese has faced many lawsuits in state courts. To date, it has paid more than $500,000 in victim settlements.

The archdiocese has been considering bankruptcy due to financial strains from litigation. However, financial turmoil from COVID-19 restrictions sealed the decision.

The bankruptcy filing will only affect the administrative offices of New Orleans Archdiocese.

According to a statement from the archdiocese, “The Archdiocese’s action will not affect individual church parishes, their schools, schools run by the various religious orders, or ministries of the church.”

According to the archbishop, prayer and consultation led to the final decision to file for bankruptcy.

COVID-19 Affects Dioceses’ Revenue

To fight the pandemic, states enacted stay-in-place orders and social distancing measures. Religious organizations were forced to close public places of worship. This led to a loss of revenue for many of these organizations.

Catholic dioceses lost revenue from mass collections (tithing), social fundraisers and other revenue-driving programs. This revenue loss could cause more bankruptcies in the Catholic Church.

Sex Abuse Victims Are Not Supportive of the Bankruptcy

Victims of clergy child sex abuse filed a petition to dismiss the New Orleans Archdiocese’s bankruptcy case. In the petition, the survivors claim the church filed for bankruptcy to keep priest abuse lawsuits from moving forward.

The bankruptcy filing paused more than 30 sex abuse lawsuits. If the bankruptcy proceedings move ahead, the plaintiffs will have to seek compensation through the bankruptcy court. Generally, plaintiffs receive less compensation from bankruptcy proceedings versus a favorable verdict or legal settlement.

Bankruptcy also protects archdiocesan officials from testifying under oath. Additionally, it prevents the release of internal church documents. One plaintiff filed a motion against this protection. The motion requests the archdiocese release confidential documents surrounding its handling of priest abuse allegations.

Survivors File 400 Claims Of Sexual Abuse

In September 2020, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court set the claims deadline for March 2021. Survivors had to file abuse claims through the bankruptcy court by March 1, 2021, to be considered for compensation. This deadline, otherwise known as a bar date, was scheduled for 10 months after the archdiocese filed for bankruptcy.

When the deadline closed, nearly 400 survivors had filed claims with the court.

The court will review the claims to determine a compensation strategy. It is too early to tell how much money will be paid to claimants. However, some clergy abuse settlements have ranged between hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. 

Additionally, when applicable, the court will refer claims to law enforcement or the archdiocese for review. A claim referred to law enforcement could lead to criminal charges. A claim referred to the archdiocese may lead to the removal of a clergy member. 

In addition to the 400 recent claims filed through bankruptcy proceedings, the Archdiocese of New Orleans has paid numerous out-of-court settlements to abuse survivors throughout the years. Many of these settlements were paid in 2018 and 2019 before and after Archbishop Aymond released a list of accused clergy members.

Judge Sets Bar Date For New Orleans Archdiocese Bankruptcy

In June 2020, the archdiocese filed a motion to set a September deadline for new sex abuse claims. Victim advocates fought this proposal, claiming survivors deserved more time to file claims with the bankruptcy court.

In September 2020, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court set the bar date for March 2021.

Survivors must file an abuse claim through the bankruptcy court by March 1, 2021 to be considered for compensation. This bar date comes 10 months after the archdiocese filed for bankruptcy.

New Orleans Archdiocese Fails To Pay Debt

Clergy abuse lawsuits can cost a diocese a significant amount of money. The New Orleans Archdiocese knows this all too well. In 2017, the archdiocese issued municipal bonds to pay compensation to victims.

New Orleans Archdiocese Misses July Bond Payment

As a direct result of the bankruptcy filing, the Archdiocese of New Orleans missed its July 1, 2020 bond payment. On June 26, 2020, a regulatory bondholder notice was issued by the bondholder’s bankruptcy trustee, TMI Trust Company. The notice announced the archdiocese would not make the July payment.

The majority of the archdiocese’s assets are frozen during bankruptcy proceedings.

It is unclear whether the church will be able to make its August payment. After a default in payment, bondholders have no idea as to how much or when they will receive payment.

Plaintiffs, other abuse survivors and bondholders alike await updates about the archdiocese’s bankruptcy proceedings. Time will tell how this bankruptcy proceeds and how clergy abuse survivors fair in the end.