The Archdiocese of Santa Fe, N.M., announced in a community letter that the effort to auction 732 properties for a bankruptcy settlement has been delayed, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported. The Rev. Glennon Jones, vicar general of the archdiocese, said this week in the letter that the auction company doesn’t have a final list of properties because surveyors’ work continues, property titles still need to be acquired or analyzed, and opening prices haven’t been set. Jones suggested that the postponement reflected no setback and the auction would simply be rescheduled. About 385 victims of sexual abuse by archdiocese clergy members have sued, prompting the Archdiocese of Santa Fe to declare bankruptcy three years ago. The archdiocese now seeks to raise money to settle the case, but the amount hasn’t been determined, an attorney for victims said. Numerous Catholic dioceses across the country have filed for bankruptcy because of abuse by priests. Brad Hall, an Albuquerque attorney who represents a number of victims, said the survivors themselves would vote on whether an amount is appropriate. No such vote is imminent.
