Los Angeles, California: The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles has reached a historic settlement of $880 million with 1,353 individuals who alleged they were sexually abused as children by Catholic priests. This agreement marks the largest settlement by any U.S. diocese regarding decades-old abuse claims.
In announcing the settlement on Wednesday, Archbishop Jose H. Gomez expressed deep sorrow for the suffering caused by the abuse. “I am sorry for every one of these incidents, from the bottom of my heart,” Gomez stated. “My hope is that this settlement will provide some measure of healing for what these men and women have suffered.”
The Archdiocese began mediating the abuse claims following California’s enactment of a law that permits new lawsuits based on past instances of sexual abuse involving minors. This law, along with similar legislation in other states, has led several large Catholic organizations to seek bankruptcy protection across the United States. Notably, the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the dioceses of Oakland and San Diego have filed for bankruptcy to address similar claims.
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Unlike these dioceses, the Los Angeles Archdiocese reached its settlement without filing for bankruptcy. Archbishop Gomez indicated that the Archdiocese would cover the payments through cash reserves, investments, loans, and contributions from other religious organizations named in lawsuits. He assured that these payments would not hinder the Archdiocese’s mission of “serving the poor and vulnerable in our communities.”
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In a joint statement, attorneys for the Archdiocese and the Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel, representing the abuse claimants, expressed gratitude to survivors for coming forward and emphasized the importance of accountability in preventing future abuse. “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,” the Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel remarked.
