Oregon Diocese Says It’s Too Poor to Pay Claims

Re “Oregon Diocese 1st to File Bankruptcy,” July 7: The statement by Archbishop John G. Vlazny: “The pot of gold is pretty much empty now.” But the pot of gold at the Vatican is not empty. Catholic districting can change if the Holy See wants to make amends and do something to relieve those traumatized so drastically by its emphasis on the church, the church. Above all, protecting the church from scandal is the word and edict given to the hierarchy. Children last, victims of child sex abuse last, and the church comes first. Is this the church of God? Behavior tells all.

Patricia Walker Skelley

Playa del Rey

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The Portland diocese says that it filed for bankruptcy because it cannot afford to pay the damages sought by alleged victims of such abuse, claiming that only a part of its assets are available for the purpose due to internal church restrictions. That is a strange contention for a bishop to make since bishops rule in a virtually unfettered way. Moreover, the Vatican contributed to the abuse problem by mandating secrecy in the handling of such matters. Litigation by the alleged victims serves an important public purpose, including deterrence of future abuse.

Greater local control and involvement of the laity are needed, including in selection and retention of church officials, bishops included. Who can doubt that such extensive abuse of children could have been prevented if the laity had had a greater role?

John C. Nangle

West Hollywood

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It is unconscionable when the Catholic Church cries poor to avoid compensating its victims. If the Vatican would auction off a tiny percentage of its riches, the victims in Portland and in every other archdiocese could be fairly compensated, at least monetarily. No amount of money may be adequate to compensate them for the damage inflicted on them by those they had been taught to believe were loving and protective men of God.

Judi Birnberg

Sherman Oaks