- DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) --
A bankruptcy judge on Wednesday approved a $37 million settlement between
the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport and more than 150 people who say
they were sexually abused by its priests.
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- Judge Lee Jackwig's approval of the diocese's reorganization
plan allows the diocese to start paying the settlement money, which includes
proceeds from the sale of some diocese property.
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- The reorganization plan outlines terms of the settlement
and the diocese's efforts to prevent future abuse.
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- "This is not an issue to put behind us," said
the Most Rev. Martin Amos, the diocese's bishop. "We have gone through
a learning process that now promotes transparency over secrecy and justice
over the threat of scandal. The lessons have been difficult to learn."
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- The diocese filed for bankruptcy in October 2006, saying
it did not have the money to settle the claims stemming from its decades-long
clergy sexual abuse scandal.
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- The Davenport diocese and creditors reached a settlement
in November that calls for the diocese to pay $17.5 million, with the rest
coming from its insurance carrier, Travelers Cos. of St. Paul., Minn. The
diocese had already paid nearly $10.7 million to 45 other victims since
2004.
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- Davenport is one of six Roman Catholic dioceses in the
United States to file for bankruptcy due to sexual abuse scandals. The
others are based in Portland, Ore.; Spokane, Wash.; Tucson, Ariz.; San
Diego; and Fairbanks, Alaska.
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- The Davenport diocese serves about 105,000 parishioners
in 22 counties in southeastern Iowa.
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