The US Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $880 million to victims of decades-old clergy sexual abuse. According to an attorney, this is the highest settlement for a single child’s sexual assault with a Catholic archdiocese.
The announcement of the agreement in principle was made on Wednesday, October 16.
After the announcement, Archbishop José H. Gomez said in a statement, “I am sorry for every one of these incidents, from the bottom of my heart.”
Over 1,300 people who suffered sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic priests will get $880 million from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in the United States
“My hope is that this settlement will provide some measure of healing for what these men and women have suffered,” the archbishop added.
“I believe that we have come to a resolution of these claims that will provide just compensation to the survivor-victims of these past abuses.”
After months of negotiations with the archdiocese, the settlement was struck by the attorneys representing 1,353 individuals who claim they were horribly abused by local Catholic priests, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The agreement brings to a close a twenty-five year legal dispute involving the most populous archdiocese in the United States.
The legal representatives of the Plaintiffs’ Liaison Committee collectively stated, “Although no monetary compensation can adequately restore what was taken from these 1,353 courageous individuals who have silently endured for decades, there is a sense of justice in holding those responsible accountable.”
Under the settlement, the plaintiffs will engage in a process that will not involve the archdiocese to allocate the settlement amount among the participants.
The archdiocese has previously disbursed $740 million to victims in various settlements and has committed to enhancing the protection of its church members. Consequently, this settlement would elevate the cumulative payout to exceed $1.5 billion, as reported by the Times.
Attorney Morgan Stewart, who led the negotiations, said in a statement that the settlement is the largest single child sex abuse settlement with a Catholic archdiocese.
These survivors have suffered for decades in the aftermath of the abuse. Dozens of the survivors have died. They are aging, and many of those with knowledge of the abuse within the church are too. It was time to get this resolved,” Stewart told the Times.
The settlement will be funded through a combination of archdiocesan investments, accumulated reserves, bank financing, and other assets.
The archdiocese said that some religious orders and other people who are being sued will also pay for part of the settlement, according to the Times.