AND SO IT ENDS

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Catholic Church Found Guilty In 400 Child Sex Abuse Cases Files For Bankruptcy Unable to settle lawsuits for victims of pedophile priests By: Jay Greenberg |@NeonNettle on 2nd April 2017 @ 9.32am montana roman catholic diocese following guilty verdict on child sex abuse cases © Press Montana Roman Catholic diocese following guilty verdict on child sex abuse cases A Montana Roman Catholic diocese has filed for bankruptcy following a court ruling finding the church guilty in over 400 cases of child sex abuse. Church officials confirmed that the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings is unable to settle the lawsuits that have been so far been filed by 72 of the victims of pedophilia at the hands of Catholic priests. This is the second diocese in Montana to file for bankruptcy over child abuse lawsuits in less than three years, with the total number of cases of sex abuse by priests, nuns and church volunteers reaching a staggering 760 victims since 2014 in Montana alone, with payouts from lawsuits in the tens of millions. Kids Kitchen: How to make a watermelon pig Make a fun and fruity snack for the kids with this fun idea. Sponsored by Time Inc None of the accused in the cases are expected to face criminal charges for the sex abuse crimes, due to a large number of the culprits now being deceased, and the church traditionally handles such cases internally, with discipline usually involving a preist being relocated to a different church. The Diocese of Great Falls-Billings said it expected to make the Chapter 11 reorganization filing, and the diocese and its insurance carriers would contribute to a fund to compensate victims and set aside additional money for those who have not yet come forward. The Billings Gazette reports: "On behalf of the entire Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, I express my profound sorrow and sincere apologies to anyone who was abused by a priest, a sister or a lay church worker," Bishop Michael Warfel said in a statement. "No child should experience harm from anyone who serves the church." None of those who have been credibly accused are active in parish ministry and nearly all are deceased, Warfel said. Attorney Timothy Kosnoff, who represents some of the plaintiffs, said it marked the 15th diocesan bankruptcy in the U.S. involving sex abuse claims. "Bankruptcy represents the only realistic mechanism for working through the myriad of issues involved in a case of this nature," he said. "Despite this sensible step forward, a speedy resolution is unlikely, and the future of the diocese remains clouded." The Diocese of Helena filed for bankruptcy in early 2014 to settle about 360 claims of abuse and sexual abuse by priests, nuns and lay workers who served in the diocese. That settlement, also negotiated before the bankruptcy filing, created a $21 million fund for victims named in the lawsuit and any others that might come forward Two sexual abuse lawsuits were filed against the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings — one in February 2012 and another the following June. One lawsuit was initiated by a woman in her 60s who said she was molested and raped by the Rev. Emmett Hoffman while she was a student at the St. Labre Parish and School between 1955 and 1962. Hoffman died in 2013. The diocese has had abuse prevention programs in place for more than two decades, church officials said. The programs include screening and training for employees, volunteers, priests and seminarians and an independent board to review claims.

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Catholic Church Found Guilty In 400 Child Sex Abuse Cases Files For Bankruptcy www.neonnettle.com Unable to settle lawsuits for victims of pedophile priests - A Montana Roman Catholic diocese has filed for bankruptcy following a court ruling finding t... | NEON NETTLE