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Message from the Survivors’ Committee

The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors (the “Survivors’ Committee”) was appointed in the bankruptcy case of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Sacramento to advocate on behalf of all survivors of abuse within the Diocese of Sacramento.  The Survivors’ Committee has designed this website to help survivors navigate questions survivors may have about the bankruptcy case. This website provides the following information regarding the bankruptcy case of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Sacramento: 

  • Overview of the bankruptcy process
  • Diocesan Bankruptcy frequently asked questions (FAQ)
  • News feed detailing case events and the Survivors’ Committee’s activities
  • Resources for survivors

The website will be regularly updated over the course of the case. The Survivors’ Committee hopes survivors find this information useful, and encourage any survivors with questions to contact their personal attorneys or the Survivors’ Committee’s bankruptcy counsel, Stinson LLP.

Case Filing Information

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Sacramento (also referred to as the “RCBS,” the “Diocese of Sacramento” or simply the “Diocese“) filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 1, 2024.  In its initial case filings, the Diocese explained that:

“The RCBS enters chapter 11 as a further step toward fulfilling its moral obligation to try to compensate all Abuse survivors fairly and within a reasonable amount of time. … The RCBS intends to negotiate a plan of reorganization as early as possible which will: (a) allocate fair compensation among the legitimately competing interests for [RCBS’s assets]; (b) provide a process to fully, fairly and expeditiously resolve claims of Abuse survivors; and (c) permit the RCBS to carry on the RCBS’s essential ministries and services so the RCBS can continue to meet the needs of the Non-Debtor Catholic Entities, parishioners, and others who rely on the RCBS’s ministry, education, and charitable outreach.”

The Diocese estimated that at the time it filed for bankruptcy it had less than 1,000 creditors.  Its total assets had an estimated value between $100 million and $500 million, and its total liabilities also had an estimated value of $100 million to $500 million.

Committee Appointment

On April 12, 2024, the United States Trustee, the governmental body tasked with overseeing bankruptcy cases, appointed nine members to the Survivors’ Committee. The Survivors’ Committee was appointed to represent all unsecured creditors of the Debtor, which are predominately comprised of sexual abuse survivors. More information regarding the role of the Survivors’ Committee can be found at Bankruptcy Process page.