In a March 6 letter<\/a> to parishioners, Bishop Seitz said that the diocese is currently facing 18 lawsuits filed over alleged abuse that occurred between 1956 and 1982 in southern New Mexico. According<\/a> to El Paso Matters, the area was part of the diocese at the time.\u00a0<\/p>\n He said he made the decision to file for bankruptcy after discussing it with his priest consultors and diocesan advisors and taking it to prayer. He said the diocese has two goals in making the filing: equitably compensating the abuse survivors and continuing to provide essential spiritual care to the faithful across the diocese.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Diocese of El Paso\u2019s financial resources are very limited,\u201d Bishop Seitz said. \u201cChapter 11 reorganization will allow the Diocese of El Paso to use its available resources to compensate abuse survivors in a single process overseen by a court, that seeks to treat all equitably.\u201d<\/p>\n The bishop also said that the bankruptcy filing is a \u201cfinal call for legal claims against the diocese,\u201d which will allow the diocese to move forward with more financial stability after the survivors have been compensated.<\/p>\n Bishop Seitz acknowledged that the filing may result in feelings of anger, resentment, or frustration and apologized in the letter to the abuse survivors \u201cfor the harm, pain and suffering they experienced and continue to experience in their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is my prayer that through this process we can reconcile with each other and walk together towards the loving presence of Jesus Christ in our midst,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n El Paso Matters reported that some survivors view the filing as an attempt by the diocese to avoid accountability. Though Bishop Seitz told the outlet that the diocese is not seeing \u201cit as a way to duck out of our responsibility,\u201d abuse survivor Isaac Melendrez, Jr. told El Paso Matters that the diocese is serving its own interests.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, just like in the past, the diocese is only doing what is best for them. By filing for bankruptcy, they have removed the opportunity for us to hold them accountable for their failures in a court of law,\u201d he said. \u201cBankruptcy brings no justice to the victims, only blanket protection to the diocese.\u201d<\/p>\n The outlet additionally reported that Wouter Zwart, an attorney representing some of the survivors, including Melendrez, said the filing \u201cfeels like another delay tactic, even if there\u2019s light at the end of the road of this process.\u201d<\/p>\n In his letter, Bishop Seitz said he will be transparent and candid about the process of resolving the abuse claims and remarked that he anticipates it will be \u201ca difficult journey.\u201d He said he is inspired to continue on the path to reconciliation by the \u201cvitality of the faith\u201d within the diocese and promised continued prayers for the Church in El Paso.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will move forward, not forgetting our past, but addressing it and taking appropriate responsibility for those who were harmed,\u201d he concluded. \u201cLet us place our trust in God, who is our strength and our hope, and who is with us always.\u201d<\/p>\n
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