Catholic Church Crying Poor
The Diocese of Camden’s decision to suspend its participation in New Jersey’s compensation fund for victims of clergy sexual abuse is being met with skepticism from a victims advocate.
In an announcement late Friday, the diocese cited a “precipitous decline in revenue” during the COVID-19 pandemic and said it is fast approaching a point where it will not be able to borrow the funds necessary to pay awards made by the program.
Mark Crawford, leader of the New Jersey chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said it’s disingenuous for the diocese “to turn around and use COVID as an excuse not to offer any kind of compensation at this time, when in fact bishop appeals are still raising funds,” Crawford said. “They have many assets” that could be sold to pay for awards to victims, he added.