An online auction of more than 400 land parcels and properties owned by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in some fifteen New Mexico counties is scheduled to begin on January 31.
The one-week auction will be conducted by SVN Auction Services of Boynton Beach, Florida, and will include any number of office, residential, and commercial buildings.
What is officially called the Phase Two auction, as approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Mexico, follows a September auction offering 140 Archdiocese-owned parcels in Bernalillo, Sandoval and Valencia counties.
That auction generated around $1.4 million.
The Archdiocese has been in the process of both auctioning off and selling property it owns after declaring bankruptcy as a result of a series of lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by members of the Catholic clergy.
To date, there have been around 300 settlements stemming from sexual abuse claims.
In an Archdiocese blog published last month, Archbishop John Webster acknowledged that the Chapter 11 process has been lengthy.
“We are making progress, albeit slow progress,” wrote Webster, adding his hope that the process will “bring healing to the victims of sexual abuse, to their families, our parishes and this local Church.”
By Garry Boulard
