Catholic church planning to have churchgoers help pay off sex abuse settlements? [View All]

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That's what I get out of this statement. Bishop Robert H. Brom of the San Diego diocese had a "pastoral statement" included with all the Sunday bulletins passed out at all the catholic churches in the diocsese this past Sunday. Here are some excerpts:

"Today the Diocese of San Diego, along with the Diocese of San Bernardino, reached a settlement with some 144 people who have filed lawsuits regarding sexual abuse. For 111 cases the Diocese of San Diego will be paying $77,071,350 and our insurance carrier, Catholic Mutual, will be paying $75,650,000, for a total of $152,721,350. In addition, we will be paying $30,269,098 for 22 cases involving members of religious orders, part of which we hope to recover from the communities.

The Dicoses of San Bernardino, with help from Catholic Mutual, will be paying $15,134,552 for 11 cases. The total settlement for the Dioceses of San Diego and San Bernardino and seven religious communities amounts to $198,125,000. It covers all 144 cases ranging from 1938 to 1993, with the majority occurring in the 1960s and 1970s. ... Since (the bankruptcy filing) failed, we have accepted a plan for compensation of the victims, even though the total settlement amount actually takes us beyond available resources and will result in some damaging consequences for the mission of the Church in this diocese for a number of years. In resolving the financial ramifications of this settlement parish assets and contributions designated for specific diocesan ministries and programs or projects will be respected."

So it sounds to me that their long-term plan is to have the current parishoners bear the brunt of the cost of this settlement, and not the church itself or the actual perpetrators of the crimes.