Spokane Bishop William Skylstad has rejected calls from prominent Catholics to resign over a proposed plan to pay victims of clergy sex abuse $48 million.In an exchange of letters with four wealthy businessmen and church contributors who called for him to step aside, Skylstad also rejected demands to scrap the proposed settlement that is contained in a bankruptcy plan.
The correspondence, obtained by The Spokesman-Review and published Thursday, reveals deep divisions among some parishioners over who should pay to settle claims by abuse victims, and how much.
In a disclosure statement released in February, individual parishes are expected to contribute $10 million toward the settlement by the end of this year. A fundraising effort has begun.
The bishop is expected to raise another $6 million, secured by several large parishes, including Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral. The remainder is expected to come from insurance claim settlements and sale of church properties.
"We detect a backlash in the parishes, which we believe will only become more active when the complete details of the settlement are disclosed to the parishioners," the four businessmen wrote.
In their Feb. 20 letter after a meeting with Skylstad, the four men vowed "we will not contribute one dime to this unfortunate, costly and mistaken mediated settlement."
They want Skylstad replaced by someone who would review the settlement and put the deal to a vote of parishioners.
"The faithful who are risking their property and money should have the same rights as the recipients of the funds. Who can possibly argue with the fairness of this plan?" they asked.
In a three-page reply, the bishop dismissed their demands, calling the settlement that would resolve about 150 sex abuse claims a challenging, yet necessary step to bring the church out of crisis.
"To put this settlement to the wind is a gamble no prudent man of business would consider," the bishop wrote.
The four businessmen wrote back, taking exception to the bishop's insistence that today's Catholic community must atone for the actions of pedophile priests decades ago.
"We are the perpetrators of the abuse," Skylstad wrote in reply. "That 'we' is the perceived community of bishops, priests and laity, in communities over a 50-year period. You may not like being in that 'we,' but that is the way it is."
Ford Elsaesser, a lawyer who represents the Association of Parishes, said Thursday the four businessmen don't speak for the majority.
"The Association of Parishes has supported the plan and continues to work toward the confirmation and undertaking the obligations agreed to in the mediated settlement," Elsaesser said, declining to say more because of a judge's gag order.
Three of the signers have ties with Gonzaga University and none would comment when contacted about the letters.
Donald Herak is a former chairman of Gonzaga's board of trustees, and the Jesuit university's School of Engineering bears his name.
Thomas B. Tilford, an attorney, businessman and leader of the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program, serves on Gonzaga's board of trustees. James J. Workland is an attorney and serves on the Gonzaga University President's Council.
The fourth signer is Ron Caferro, owner of a Spokane lighting component manufacturer.
Calls for the bishop to resign are not new. Several victims advocacy groups have sought Skylstad's resignation over the alleged cover-up of abuse by past and present church officials.
The diocese, which serves about 90,000 Catholics in 13 Eastern Washington counties, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2004 in the face of a growing number of sex abuse lawsuits.
Sex abuse victims are voting on the proposed settlement. If approved, it will be presented as part of a broad plan of reorganization to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Patricia Williams during a hearing April 24-25.
The Spokane diocese is among five dioceses nationwide that have sought bankruptcy protection against growing claims of clergy sexual abuse.
Others are San Diego; Davenport, Iowa; Portland, Ore.; and Tucson, Ariz. Tucson has emerged from bankruptcy protection, while proposed settlements are awaiting final approval in Portland and Spokane.
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