The Diocese of Oakland, California failed to convince a bankruptcy judge to defer payment of legal fees until the end of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding, which has been stalled for months. The diocese’s request to amend its interim compensation procedures to include a 100% monthly fee holdback, which would have paused payments for lawyers whose fees are covered by the diocese’s estate, was denied without prejudice during a hearing.
The diocese’s inability to defer legal fee payments highlights the financial challenges it faces as it navigates the bankruptcy process, which has been complicated by the large number of sex abuse claims against the diocese. The ruling means the diocese must continue to pay its lawyers and other professionals during the ongoing bankruptcy case.
Lawyers for a committee representing around 350 sex abuse claimants are among those who will continue to receive monthly fee payments from the diocese’s estate despite the diocese’s request to defer those payments. The judge denied the diocese’s request without prejudice, meaning the diocese could potentially refile the motion at a later date.
From National Today
Another example of the lay faithful having to pay for the lavender mafia, though a small percentage of priests, they are in influential positions of power. And, nothing can compensate their victims adequately. Pray for their healing.
Again, follow the Church’s teaching and don’t admit gay men to seminaries and ordain them. And, the current and previous two bishops of Oakland have had to pay largely for the actions of their predecessor, including the cathedral. When the cathedral was built in 2007, it cost 190 million dollars, making it the most expensive cathedral in the US. Good shepherds don’t mistreat their flocks.
In 2007, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles had a settlement of $660 million, for over 500 poor, suffering clerical sex abuse victims. In 2024, the L.A. Archdiocese had a landmark settlement if $880 million, for 1,353 survivors of evil clerical sex abuse. This amounts to a grand total of $1,540 billion, in clerical sex abuse case settlements– the largest in the United States. The 2024 settlwment of $880 million is being funded through investments, asset sales, and reserves. Oh, what a horrible thing– with much irresponsibility, cover-ups of clerical sex abuse crimes by previous cardinal archbishops– and prior denials of justice, to thousands of poor, suffering Catholic victims, a great many of whom were children.
And what is going on, with the trial at the Vatican, of the evil, former Jesuit, clerical rapist of nuns– Marko “Rapenik?” Any progress? Any justice to hope for, for “Rapenik’s” poor, suffering victims… someday?
It’s all so sordid and shameful.
Who does the diocese think it is not having to pay people who work for it? The Church sometimes behaves despicably. No respect for the Diocese of Oakland from me.
One of the ugliest cathedrals on the planet.
I agree. It was a terrible shock to see the advisory board select the architectural plans for this absurd, modernist, badly-conceived “Catholic” cathedral. Some on the advisory board submitted ideas and plans for a beautiful, traditional cathedral– but these plans were all rejected, as many other board members stated that they were “recovering Catholics” (mistreated in Catholic school, when young, by nuns and priests) and did not want to build a beautiful, traditiobal Catholic cathedral. I was not on this advisory board– but submitted names and portfolios of traditional Catholic artistic masters, in America, who specialize in building beautiful, traditional Catholic churches and cathedrals– and Catholic artistic masters (in America) who make beautiful, traditional statues, shrines and etc. for traditional Catholic churches and cathedrals. They all were easily available and affordable– But it was all rejected. After touring the new cathedral on the day before it opened– I decided it was so poorly conceived and built– that I would never again enter it.
Hmm that picture doesn’t show the crime-infested, abandoned businesses neighborhood around the cathedral in downtown Oakland.
Is that a picture of Starfleet Academy’s campus?
Live long and prosper.
Maybe the bishop at the time was a fan. May God rest his soul.
It’s only logical.
This is a very deceptive photo, as it implies the entrance to the Cathedral is surrounded by green grass. It is not. I have been to many events at the Cathedral and it has a huge concrete pad around it, connecting the adjacent buildings. There is some grass, but it is pretty far away. This photo is an architectural concept from the company that built it – which, if memory serves, had to be sued for construction defects by the Diocese. It is unfortunate that all the large events that unite the Diocese, like visitation of Therese of Lisieux relics, need to be held here. It has one saving grace: covered guarded underground parking so you don’t have to worry about your car getting broken into while there.