SS Peter and Paul Church on Cherry Street in Jamestown (Google Maps)
Catholic News Agency reports State Supreme Court in Erie County has issued a temporary halt on payments the Buffalo Catholic Diocese has required of parishes in order to fund its clergy abuse settlement amid a Vatican-moderated dispute over parish mergers.
The lawsuit, filed last Tuesday by nine parishes including Holy Apostles Church in Jamestown, sought the injunction prior to tomorrow’s deadline. That deadline is now on hold until August 6.
All of the churches named in the lawsuit were set to be merged with other area parishes under the diocese’s restructuring plan.
The mergers are on hold while the Vatican looks at appeals seeking to prevent them.
Catholic News Agency reports the Diocese, which filed for bankruptcy in 2020 amid the large number of abuse claims, announced last month that its parishes would be required to pay up to 80% of their “unrestricted cash” by July 15 to help fund the settlement for abuse victims.
The suit states that if parishes complied, it “would be catastrophic and likely would severely, if not fatally destroy parishes” and that “severe and irreparable harm would be inflicted” on the parishes.
Merging and closing parishes, including the five named in the lawsuit, were being asked to pay 80% of their funds by July 15, even if they are still in the appeal process.
WIVB reports the Buffalo Diocese did not comment on the suit and said that it is “committed to upholding the highest standards of conduct and will continue to cooperate fully with all legal processes as required.”
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