Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki says the archdiocese had no choice but to file for bankruptcy due to the lawsuits it faces for sexual abuse by its clergy. Listecki described the bankruptcy filing Tuesday as something that would allow the archdiocese to pay victims molested by priests while preserving programs, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
"As a result of the horrific actions of a few, there are financial claims pending against the archdiocese that exceed our means," Listecki said at a news conference at the archdiocesan headquarters.