Chapter 11 Reorganization

 

July 15, 2011
 Late yesterday afternoon, the Judge in the Chapter 11 proceedings signed the Bar Date Order which officially sets the dates by which abuse survivors and creditors must submit claims against the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The deadline for abuse survivors is February 1, 2012. The deadline for general creditors is October 17, 2011.
The archdiocese is responsible for publicizing this claims bar date, so when the Judge signed the order, we were given a timeline to accomplish several tasks, including the following:
Although individuals with questions about the claims process are being directed to contact Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek, our law firm, we may receive inquiries at the central offices or at parishes. (Note: more information about the claims bar date requirements as mandated by the court will be sent to parishes/schools in approximately one week).
If you receive a call, please direct the caller to the following toll free phone number and/or email address:
Phone: 1-877-609-3995
Email: archmilclaims@whdlaw.com
This information along with additional resources is posted on our website.
If you have any questions about the Chapter 11 proceedings and/or communications related to it, please let me know.
 Julie Wolf
Communication Director
Archdiocese of Milwaukee
 

On January 4, 2011, after consultation with archdiocesan advisors, Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki directed attorneys for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to file a petition for a Chapter 11 reorganization of its financial affairs under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.  

This action is occurring because priest-perpetrators sexually abused minors.

Financial claims pending against the archdiocese's means, recent failure to reach a mediated resolution with victims/survivors involved in lawsuits against the archdiocese, along with the November court decision that insurance companies are not bound to contribute to any financial settlement, made it clear that reorganization is the best way to fairly and equitably fulfill obligations.

In taking this action, there are two goals. First, the archdiocese wants to fairly compensate victims/survivors with unresolved claims  – both those with claims pending and those who will come forward because of this proceeding.  Second, the archdiocese wants to carry on the essential ministries of the archdiocese in order to continue to meet the needs of parishes, parishioners and others who rely upon the Church for assistance.

A Chapter 11 reorganization is the best way to achieve these goals. It enables the archdiocese to use available funds to compensate all victims/survivors with unresolved claims in a single process overseen by a court, ensuring that all are treated equitably. In addition, by serving as a final call for legal claims against the archdiocese, the proceeding will allow the Church to move forward on stable financial ground, focused on its Gospel mission.

For more information on this topic, please view the resources available on this page.

__________________________________________________________________________
 

To view a video message from Archbishop Listecki regarding the Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Milwaukee Archdiocese, click here.

F.A.Q. about the Reorganization can be found here.

For regular updates on the Chapter 11 reorganization
please visit the Ongoing Updates section. 

Related Documents:

Chapter 11 Court Documents
Financial Report Summary
Pension Plan

For any questions or concerns regarding the Chapter 11 Reorganization, please contact the Archdiocese by following this link: http://www.archmil.org/reorg/Contact-Us.htm