By JIM BUTLER

The Diocese of Alexandria seeks a May 6 deadline for bankruptcy claims against it by creditors and alleged abuse victims.

Should objections be filed by Friday a hearing will be Monday in Shreveport. Otherwise the “bar date” is established.

The Diocese filed Chapter 11 pleadings on October 31, prompted by the growing number of claims of abuse by priests as far back as the 1970s.

The court is also asked to approve a Putative Abuse Survivor proof of claim form that in each instance would be sealed record.

It asks for the who, where, when, what and how often of the alleged abuse. Its confidentiality is standard in such cases across the country. 

Another motion by the Diocese’s counsel asks to allow the Diocese to continue enhanced services and extraordinary survivor support programs outside the ordinary course of business. 

It seeks court allocation of up to $40,000 for a specialized program implemented “in response to the clergy abuse crisis to support survivors, including trauma response, referral networks with secular mental health professionals and funding for therapeutic support.” 

Creditor claims to this point, according to court records, include Southern Heritage Bank, $1.65 million secured, Sabine State Bank, $626,000 general unsecured, and AIG Property Casualty, unliquidated amount.