Survivors Describe Abuse by Priests During Diocese of Ogdensburg’s Bankruptcy Proceedings

Survivors describe abuse by priests during Diocese of Ogdensburg’s bankruptcy proceedings

Editor’s note: This story includes descriptions of sexual abuse, violence and suicide.

Letter: The Diocese of Ogdensburg must face the truth — not hide behind bankruptcy

When the Diocese of Ogdensburg filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 17, 2023, it described the move as a “difficult and painful decision,” reached after “extensive prayer and consultation.” For survivors of clergy sexual abuse, however, the bankruptcy did not feel like an act of pastoral care — it felt like another form of silence. The filing came after the opening of New York’s Child Victims Act window, which allowed survivors to bring forwar