An outspoken critic of the Buffalo Catholic Diocese’s handling of childhood sex abuse cases has been removed without explanation from the committee of unsecured creditors that represents abuse survivors in the diocese’s chapter 11 case, the Buffalo News reported. Kevin Brun, who confronted diocese leaders in bankruptcy court about pension payments for priests who were credibly accused of abuse and other issues, was dismissed amid the committee’s ongoing mediated settlement negotiations with the diocese and its insurers, parishes and schools. Brun sued the diocese in 2019, alleging a priest molested him in a Washington, D.C., hotel room when he was 16. He was named to the creditors committee in 2020 with six other people who have childhood sex abuse claims against the diocese. The committee is responsible for examining the diocese’s assets, liabilities, operations and claims made against it and acting as fiduciary for all abuse survivors in negotiating a settlement. “The trustee has reconstituted the committee without Kevin as a participant,” said Brun’s attorney, Paul Barr. Changes to creditors committees in the middle of a chapter 11 are unusual but not unprecedented. In June, two committee members were replaced as the committee began mediated settlement negotiations in the Archdiocese of New Orleans bankruptcy. Barr said he couldn’t reveal why Brun was no longer involved, other than to say it was “an unfortunate turn of events.”
