Dear People of the Archdiocese of St. John’s:
On this past Friday, October 30”, 2026, an application was presented to the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador for the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John’s (referred to as the “RCECSJ”) to file an assignment into bankruptcy.
Since the legal decision became final in January of 2021 that this civil incorporation of the Archdiocese of St. John’s was vicariously liable for the claims of abuse at the Mount Cashel Orphanage in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, the Archdiocese has been working collaboratively with the Court and with the Legal Counsel for the Claimants to appropriately and justly respond to this Court judgement.
This response has involved the RCECSJ filing for a Stay of Proceedings I Creditor Protection, dedicating all of its assets to meeting its financial obligations to the Claimants, and transitioning all Archdiocesan operational responsibility from the RCECSJ to a new Corporation.
To date, the RCECSJ has sold 132 properties, generating net sale proceeds of $32,813,517.00. As the liquidation of its assets is nearly completed, the continuation of the Stay of Proceedings is no longer necessary, and the remaining realization activities can be completed in a more costeffective manner by a bankruptcy trustee.
This termination of the RCECSJ’s Stay of Proceedings and assignment into bankruptcy is an important step in bringing to completion the process of settling the claims of the victims of abuse. Hopefully, it will help bring some measure of justice and healing to the victims, their families, and the Archdiocesan Faith Community, and will bring some measure of closure to this dark chapter in the history of the Archdiocese.
I am very grateful to all of the individuals and groups who have, with understanding, patience and trust, collaborated with the Archdiocese, both in the sale of the assets of the RCECSJ and in the securing of the properties and finances necessary for the ongoing effective pastoral ministry of the Catholic Communities of the Archdiocese.
Asking that you please join with me in continuing to pray for God’s healing grace for the victims of abuse and for God’s guidance and wisdom in our efforts to ensure that never again such sins against the innocent occur in our Archdiocese, I remain,
Sincerely yours in Christ,
+Peter Hundt
Archbishop of St. John’s
