The Diocese of Santa Rosa filed for bankruptcy March 13, days after its bishop finally concluded the decision was necessary in order to address potentially 200 new claims brought against the diocese by survivors of child sexual abuse.
Bishop Robert F. Vasa said in a March 10 statement posted to the diocese’s website that after “months of careful and prayerful consideration” — including consultation with the diocese’s priests, the diocese’s finance council, and other professionals retained by the diocese, “it was clear that such an action was necessary.”
Bishop Vasa pointed out the diocese faces at least 160 new claims against it as a result of California legislation opening up a three-year window in the statute of limitations, from Jan. 1, 2020 to Jan. 2, 2023, that allowed survivors of child sexual abuse to file lawsuits within that time frame. He acknowledged those claims could potentially exceed 200.
“These cases are too numerous to settle individually and so they have accumulated until the closing of the three-year window,” he said.
The March 13 petition to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy submitted by Bishop Vasa before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California informs the court the diocese has between $10 million to $50 million in assets and faces $10 million to $50 million in liabilities, and potentially 200 creditors or more to satisfy.
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