Another US Diocese Files for Bankruptcy Amid Abuse Claims

On 6 March, the Diocese of El Paso in Texas filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing financial pressure from lawsuits relating to alleged clergy sexual abuse dating back several decades.
This follows legal action brought under New Mexico’s “lookback law”, which allows survivors to file cases even after the usual statute of limitations has expired.
The case comprises 12 lawsuits from 18 individuals who claim they were abused as children between 1956 and 1982 in southern New Mexico. At the time of the alleged incidents, the area was part of the Diocese of El Paso, but it is now part of the Diocese of Las Cruces.
In a video statement, Bishop Mark J. Seitz said that the decision to file for bankruptcy had been made after prayer, discernment, and consultation. He explained that the financial claims could far exceed what the diocese can afford.
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