Judge approves Milwaukee archdiocese bankruptcy plan

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A federal bankruptcy judge in Milwaukee has approved a reorganization plan for the city's Roman Catholic archdiocese that calls for $21 million to be paid to clergy abuse victims.

The plan approved by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Susan Kelley on Monday splits most of that money among 355 people. Another class of 104 victims will get about $2,000 each.

Several victims testified that they wished the settlement amounts had been larger, and some said they wanted to see deeper investigation of abuse claims.

Shortly before the deal was approved, Archbishop Jerome Listecki addressed the court and repeated his apology to victims as well as his hope that "we have turned the corner in the history of the archdiocese." At several points as he spoke, however, a packed gallery of victims and advocates coughed, groaned and even quietly booed.

The archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2011 to address its sex abuse lawsuit liabilities, and is among a dozen nationally to do so in the past decade.

The Gayly - 11/11/2015 @ 2:22 p.m. CST