Mediation Begins Between Abuse Victims, Archdiocese

Portland, Oregon --

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland began mediation this week with over 60 former parishioners who say they were abused by priests.

The total number of victims has skyrocketed to at least 240.

The archdiocese says it hopes that through mediation the church and the individual victims will be able to agree on a dollar figure for how much they should be compensated. If they don't agree, the two sides will next meet in bankruptcy court.

Initially, lawyers for the victims had fought mediation, saying that the archdiocese was trying to force the people it had abused to waive their rights to a jury trial. But they agreed to go ahead when it was decided that if the mediation fails, the victims will still be able to proceed with a trial.

The victims, speaking through a representative, said that the archdiocese should not expect to get away with paying a nickel on the dollar.

Read the article at KOIN.com Dated August 9, 2005

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