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61 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, October 9, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 8, 2004 Parish might join with others to preserve assets By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT — Officials at a third Catholic church in Jackson County have all but decided to join a group of parishes seeking to protect their assets from sex abuse claims against the Archdiocese of Portland. Shepherd of the Valley Catholic Church "very likely" will sign on with the Committee of Parishes, a group representing at least 34 of the 124 parishes in Oregon, the Rev. Jim Clifford said Thursday. Shepherd of the Valley would join Medford’s Sacred Heart parish and Ashland’s Our Lady of the Mountain parish in taking steps to shield property and other investments from being seized to pay $340 million in claims from about 70 pending sex abuse lawsuits. The Archdiocese of Portland filed for bankruptcy protection against the claims in July, the first diocese in the nation to do so. In joining the Committee of Parishes, Shepherd of the Valley would be forging a financial, not spiritual, split with the Oregon leadership, Clifford said. "We are not against the archdiocese; we are just protecting our own assets," he said. Advertisement U.S. Bankruptcy Court records indicate that nearly $6.9 million in real estate is registered to the archdiocese in Jackson County. That includes more than $708,000 in property for Shepherd of the Valley Church. A key dispute in the bankruptcy proceedings is whether parish assets can be used to pay claims against the archdiocese. Lawyers for the archdiocese contend that it holds properties in trust for the parishes, but that the assets properly belong to the communities. In court documents, the archdiocese claimed about $10 million in real estate and $9 million in cash and investments. Lawyers for the alleged victims argue that total assets actually include about $400 million in real estate and $100 million in cash and investments, court records showed. Lawyers for the Committee of Parishes have 90 days to file papers detailing their arguments, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Perris decided Tuesday, according to The Oregonian newspaper. Whatever the judge rules, it likely will be disputed, Clifford said. The decision may have far-reaching ramifications for other Catholic dioceses and, indeed, other faiths. "It will be appealed and appealed and appealed," he said. "It could be appealed to the Supreme Court." Shepherd of the Valley could expect to contribute an estimated $400 a month to defray legal costs for the parish group, Clifford said. In addition, the bankruptcy filing delayed a long-planned capital campaign, Clifford said. The church had hoped to raise $3 million to double the size of the church from 225 to more than 500. Archdiocese officials have asked parishes to put such plans on hold. Jackson County real estate assets listed by the Archdiocese of Portland include the following, court records indicate: Ashland: Our Lady of the Mountain Church, $1,089,830. Central Point: Shepherd of the Valley Church, $708,750. Medford: Sacred Heart Church, $4,171,740. Shady Cove: Our Lady of Fatima Church, $344,030. Gold Hill: St. Rita’s Retreat, $566,670. Total: $6,881,020. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities