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Photo: Baltimore Archbishop William Lori; via Wikipedia.
Ten survivors of clergy abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore delivered powerful testimony in federal bankruptcy court on Wednesday, urging the church to take full responsibility for the harm they endured and to provide fair financial compensation after decades of silence and institutional failure, CBS News Baltimore reported.
The hearing is part of the archdiocese’s ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, filed just days before Maryland’s Child Victims Act took effect, legislation that eliminated the statute of limitations for civil child sexual abuse claims. More than 900 survivors have filed claims against the archdiocese, making this one of the largest Catholic Church abuse cases in the country.
“Shattered lives”
The first survivor, abused as a student at Archbishop Curley, told the judge he left Catholic school “lost, confused, and broken.” He described how the priest who harmed him later sent a deeply inappropriate letter, reinforcing the long-term emotional manipulation he still carries.
Another survivor shared that he was harmed by a priest when he was only 10 years old. He explained that the trauma shaped his entire life, leading to decades of isolation, fear of medical care, alcoholism, and a constant feeling of worthlessness. Even prayer, he said, became a trigger because his abuser used it to mask the wrongdoing.
A third survivor, assaulted by a nun at Villa Maria, testified that the abuse left her feeling “degraded, alone, powerless,” and robbed of her childhood. “Institutions like this must learn that children’s lives are not expendable,” she told the court.
A man in his 70s recounted abuse that began with gifts and dinners, indicative of classic grooming behavior, and ended in betrayal and deep shame. “I don’t trust people,” he said, describing a lifetime of trauma that was dismissed or ignored when he was a child.
Survivors speak directly to Archbishop Lori
Archbishop William Lori sat only feet away as survivor Erin Maze addressed him directly, challenging his past statements and accusing the institution of prioritizing optics over genuine accountability.
“This is not about you,” she said. “You are not trying to equitably compensate us.”
Outside the courtroom, Maze told reporters that the church continues to present a facade of compassion while resisting meaningful action. “They pretend they care, and they don’t,” she said.
Another survivor, a former TV news anchor, described living with the trauma as “walking with a stain on your soul.” He accused the church of treating survivors’ testimony as procedural rather than human: “This is a circus. For what? Just to find an insurance loophole?”
The bankruptcy battle
The Archdiocese of Baltimore has proposed a $33 million settlement fund, despite holding more than $100 million in assets, according to court filings. Survivors overwhelmingly rejected an early offer that would have averaged roughly $35,000 per person, a figure many describe as deeply insulting given the lifelong harm.
Survivors’ attorneys have also challenged the archdiocese’s use of charitable immunity, a legal argument that donations meant for ministry cannot be used to compensate people harmed by clergy. Advocates say the defense perpetuates harm by shielding institutions from full accountability.
Archbishop Lori, speaking after the hearing, called the testimony “soul searing,” adding that no apology could ever be enough. He said negotiations continue and expressed hope for a future settlement.
“Can you see us now?”
Supporters filled the courtroom, including survivors who chose not to testify but came to stand in solidarity. Frank Schindler, himself a survivor, criticized the archdiocese’s attempt to use charitable immunity to avoid responsibility: “Raping a child is not a charitable act.”
A survivor’s attorney who herself survived abuse by Father Joseph Maskell and has advocated for decades, said the testimony was devastating and essential.
“Every time a survivor tells their story, they relive it,” she said. “But the church must finally hear us. Can you see us now? Can you hear us now? And can you stop hiding behind charitable immunity?”
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