Abuse Survivors Seek to Halt Archdiocese Asset Sales in Bankruptcy Case

Archbishop William Lori avoids testifying as creditors argue church is violating bankruptcy rules

Apr. 16, 2026 at 10:13pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a metal church offering plate or collection box, its surface textured and reflecting the harsh, direct light of the camera flash, conveying a stark, gritty, investigative aesthetic.As the Archdiocese of Baltimore navigates its bankruptcy case, abuse survivors argue the church is exploiting legal loopholes to shield assets from creditors.Baltimore Today

Clergy sex abuse survivors were disappointed when Baltimore Archbishop William Lori avoided testifying at a federal bankruptcy hearing for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Instead, the court heard from Auxiliary Bishop Adam Parker, who acknowledged that over $15 million from parish and school property sales will go to the archdiocese's bank account, despite the church's claims that these entities are separate. Survivors and other creditors are seeking a court-ordered freeze on these sales, arguing the archdiocese is offloading assets in violation of bankruptcy rules.

Why it matters

The bankruptcy case has major implications for clergy abuse survivors seeking compensation, as well as the future of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Survivors argue the church is exploiting legal loopholes to shield assets from creditors, while the archdiocese claims the parish and school properties are separate entities not subject to bankruptcy proceedings.

The details

At the hearing, Auxiliary Bishop Adam Parker testified for several hours on the motion for a court-ordered freeze on property sales by the archdiocese. Attorneys for the survivors said these transactions continue in violation of Chapter 11 bankruptcy rules, but the archdiocese argued the parishes and schools are separate entities, with some sales requiring Vatican approval and special decrees declaring the properties no longer "sacred." During cross-examination, Parker acknowledged that over $15 million from these property sales will go to the archdiocese's bank account, contradicting the church's claims of separation.

  • The federal bankruptcy hearing took place on Thursday, April 16, 2026.
  • The judge set a preliminary hearing on the submitted plans for next week.

The players

Archbishop William Lori

The Archbishop of Baltimore who was subpoenaed to testify at the hearing but filed a challenge to avoid appearing.

Auxiliary Bishop Adam Parker

The second-in-command to Archbishop Lori who testified at the hearing in his place.

Teresa Lancaster

A clergy abuse survivor who expressed disappointment that Lori did not testify.

Frank Schindler

Another abuse survivor who criticized Lori's absence from the hearing.

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What they’re saying

“Right now, I feel like we're waiting for a miracle, a miracle that might not happen for a long time.”

— Teresa Lancaster, Abuse survivor

“I would like to address the elephant who's not in the room, and that's Archbishop Lori. Apparently, Archbishop Lori doesn't think it's important to be here to talk about what they are going to do for survivors.”

— Frank Schindler, Abuse survivor

“Yes, the 'debtor' is listed on those deeds.”

— Auxiliary Bishop Adam Parker

What’s next

The judge set a preliminary hearing on the submitted plans for next week.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tension between clergy abuse survivors and the Catholic Church over transparency and accountability, as the Archdiocese of Baltimore seeks to navigate its bankruptcy proceedings in a way that survivors argue violates the spirit and rules of Chapter 11.