Paul Barr of Niagara Falls, an attorney representing dozens of clergy sexual abuse victims, says the Diocese is just paving the way for a bankruptcy announcement so the decision won't come as a shock.

Barr says he has filed several Child Victims Act lawsuits and plans to file several more against the Diocese of Buffalo, as well as individual parishes and priests across Western New York.

He says once a declaration is made, many of the cases will temporarily be put on hold as they transfer from state Supreme Court to bankruptcy court, where hearings will be held to decide how money set aside for survivors will be divided.

Barr says as a result, he and the other plaintiffs will instead become creditors of the Diocese, and will have to file a relatively simple form to supplement their original lawsuit.

Barr also has a couple clients in Rochester and is already going through the bankruptcy process, after the Diocese there filed Chapter 11 last September.

He says the process in Rochester is slow-going, and is using it to prepare himself and his clients for the inevitable in the Queen City.

"It's a learning curve for me, I'm not a bankruptcy lawyer. I'm preparing my clients to not be too disappointed because it does not mean that their cases are over by any stretch. It just changes the playing field. It doesn't mean the game is over," said Barr.

On potential bankruptcy in Buffalo: "It's a double-edge sword. Because on one hand my clients won't have to suffer through jury trials. On the other hand it's very aggravating because it permits the Church to continue to hide the information, they can hide the records. They can continue to deny knowing what we all truly believe, they did know, and that's that they had priests abusing children," said Barr.

As for the Diocese announcement that filing for bankruptcy is imminent, Barr says the Church deals in centuries, not weeks, months, or years. So imminent can mean any number of things.

Spectrum News asked the Diocese on Friday to clarify the meaning and a spokesman said, “There are quite a number of complex issues that Bishop Scharfenberger and the leadership of the diocese are working through. A decision is likely a few weeks away.”

Barr says he is still taking new cases for those who file before the one-year look-back window closes in August, despite state legislative efforts to extend that another year. Barr also pointed out, that one-year window only closes for people 55 years of age and older. Anyone younger than 55, still has until they turn 55 to file a claim.