FRESNO, Calif. – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno announced Tuesday it plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August after 154 claims of sexual abuse of minors by clergy were brought forward.
But it is not the first time the Catholic church in California, or in the U.S., has sought this path.
Last month, the Diocese of Sacramento filed for bankruptcy after more than 250 lawsuits alleged childhood sexual abuse. The Archdioceses in San Francisco, Oakland and Santa Rosa also filed for bankruptcy in the last year.
The Diocese of Monterey, in the Central Coast, is also considering bankruptcy amid piling lawsuits, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
Legal experts say filing for bankruptcy…
