2216 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218 410-235-1660
© 2025 WYPR
WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore WYPF 88.1 FM Frederick WYPO 106.9 FM Ocean City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Baltimore Church abuse survivors growing weary of bankruptcy delays

Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) Maryland member Teresa Lancaster during a press conference held outside of the Marriott on November 16.
Kaitlin Newman
/
The Baltimore Banner
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) Maryland member Teresa Lancaster during a press conference held outside of the Marriott on November 16.

It’s been nearly two years since the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore filed for bankruptcy, forcing it to take account of its assets and file insurance claims to eventually pay survivors who were abused as children by clergy and staff.

However, after a series of delays and twists, the survivors have yet to see any payout and many are feeling out of the loop.

One survivor wrote about their frustration to U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Harner last week.

“What started as a positive situation as the rust of a newly enacted law by the Maryland legislature years ago has developed into what one might describe as a circus,” the survivor wrote. Who do the victims believe and what can they believe? Especially when there is almost complete secrecy surrounding this case.”

The survivor expressed further concern that the 12 law firms and financial organizations working the bankruptcy case have taken home nearly $11 million, according to court documents.

In a Monday hearing, Harner asked the firms to look into holding a town hall to update survivors on the process.

Bankruptcy proceedings tend to take a while to complete, especially one involving an organization with hundreds of millions of dollars and assets like gold rings and a diamond-encrusted crucifix.

However, according to Theresa Lancaster, a lawyer and survivor, the mediation process has been slowed by the insurance companies.

The Archdiocese is trying to cash in on claims with three insurers that gave policies to the church for the risk of abuse: Federal Insurance Company, Indemnity Insurance Company of North America, and Westchester Fire Insurance Company.

The insurers, which fall under the umbrella corporation of the Chubb Corporation, filed a motion to keep survivors from speaking about their experiences in court.

The companies stated in their motion that “victim statements are a creature of criminal procedure,” which bankruptcy cases focus on civil law.

There is precedent for silencing victim statements in other cases, however, Harner allowed the statements because they are critical to victim recovery.

Those statements were allowed to be told publicly in court last year and victims were also able to write the court.

“They'll throw anything at the court to try to stop it,” Lancaster said of the insurance companies. “The insurance companies are claiming that the testimonies are improper, but we say that it's more than the money, it's about the actual lives behind it. A lot of these people have suffered irreparable harm, and some tragically took their own lives as a result of childhood rape and that that should be known.”

Lancaster said it’s possible that if a solution isn’t found soon that Harner may throw out the bankruptcy case, forcing victims to sue the church individually.

A date for the townhall still has not been set.

Scott is the Health Reporter for WYPR. @smaucionewypr
Related Content