A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge approved legal fees the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis will pay to its attorneys and others involved in its Reorganization proceedings.
Over $3 million in fees will be paid to six law firms representing the archdiocese, those who have filed abuse claims, parishes and others who are working with insurance companies.
In a statement released after the Dec. 3 hearing, Archbishop Bernard Hebda, apostolic administrator of the archdiocese, said the Reorganization process takes time and money because of its complexity, and necessitates the involvement of “highly specialized legal experts.”
“In the end, we hope the spirit of cooperation and good will among all parties — including the U.S. Bankruptcy Court — will help us reach the ultimate goal of a fair resolution of the claims as quickly as possible,” he said. “We believe that the legal expenses that have been incurred and approved by the Court are a necessary part of achieving that objective.”
The archdiocese filed for Reorganization Jan. 15 and began mediation with attorneys representing claimants following the first hearing in January. After an Aug. 3 deadline to file claims against the archdiocese, more than 400 claims involving sexual abuse of minors were filed.
Archbishop Hebda also noted in the statement that by filing for Reorganization, the archdiocese hoped to “ensure fairness for victims of clergy sexual abuse, fairness for the faithful whose stewardship makes archdiocesan ministry possible, and fairness for those throughout our community who benefit from that ministry and have come to rely on our help.”
