This map shows places in the Diocese of Ogdensburg where eight priests named in the report have been assigned. In 2018 the Jeff Anderson and Associates Law firm detailed information they obtained regarding alleged sexual abuse incidents. That story can be viewed here.
BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week
OGDENSBURG – The Ogdensburg Diocese has filed for bankruptcy, a move triggered by 124 pending lawsuits from more than 50 alleged victims who say they suffered childhood sexual abuse at the hands of clergy from the 1940s to 1990s.
The Diocese encompasses 12,036 square miles of northern New York, including Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, as well as northern Herkimer County.
“This difficult yet necessary decision was made in response to lawsuits filed against the Diocese under the Child Victims Act. 124 cases are currently pending against the Diocese following implementation of the act, which allows individuals who assert that they were the victims of childhood sexual abuse to file claims, regardless of when the alleged abuse took place. The claims filed against the Diocese date back decades (1940s through 1990s), prior to the institution of the Diocese’s safe environment policies and procedures,” spokeswoman Darcy Fargo said in a prepared statement.
The Diocese has been encumbered with lawsuits related to sexual abuse allegations and had acknowledged years ago that bankruptcy was being considered.
“The goal for filing a reorganization case is to resolve the legal cases in a fair and equitable manner while allowing the Diocese to continue its mission. Had the Diocese not filed for reorganization, civil actions would continue for many years, with claimants who filed the first lawsuits potentially receiving larger awards or settlements, leaving little, if any, money for the remaining claimants. Filing for reorganization does not hinder claims filed by survivors,” said Bishop LaValley. “Instead, it…
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