The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has consented to pay $880 million to victims of clergy sexual abuse dating back several decades, marking what an attorney described as the largest single settlement for child sexual abuse with a Catholic archdiocese.
After the startling announcement of the agreement in principle on Wednesday, Archbishop José H. Gomez said in a statement, “I am sorry for every one of these incidents, from the bottom of my heart.”
“My hope is that this settlement will provide some measure of healing for what these men and women have suffered,” Gomez 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.”
The Los Angeles Times reports that attorneys representing 1,353 individuals who alleged severe abuse by local Catholic priests reached a settlement after months of intense negotiations with the archdiocese.
Previously, the archdiocese had paid $740 million to victims in various settlements and committed to improving protections for its church members, bringing the total payout to over $1.5 billion.
This latest settlement marks the conclusion of nearly 25 years of litigation against the largest archdiocese in the United States.
Additionally, attorneys in the Plaintiffs’ Liaison Committee said in a joint statement, “While there is no amount of money that can replace what was taken from these 1,353 brave individuals who have suffered in silence for decades, there is justice in accountability.”
Additionally, as part of the settlement, the plaintiffs will initiate a process, independent of the archdiocese, to distribute the settlement funds among the participants.
Morgan Stewart, the attorney who led the negotiations, stated that this settlement is the largest single child sex abuse settlement involving 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 Los Angeles Times.
The settlement will be financed through the archdiocese’s investments, bank loans, accumulated reserves, and other assets.
Additionally, the archdiocese noted that certain religious orders and other parties named in the litigation will also contribute to a portion of the settlement, according to the LA Times.
