Archdiocese of Los Angeles in US agrees to pay $880 million to over 1,300 victims who were s3xually abused by Catholic priests

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles in the US has agreed to pay $880 million to victims of clergy s*xual abuse spanning decades, marking what an attorney described as the largest single settlement for child s*xual abuse by a Catholic archdiocese.

The announcement of this agreement in principle took place on Wednesday, October 16.

Following the announcement, Archbishop José H. Gomez expressed his sincere apologies in a statement, saying, “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,” 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.”

Attorneys for 1,353 people who allege that they suffered horrific abuse at the hands of local Catholic priests reached the settlement after months of negotiations with the archdiocese, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The agreement caps a quarter-century of litigation against the most populous archdiocese in the United States.

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.”

Under the agreement, the plaintiffs will embark on a process that will not require the archdiocese to distribute the settlement funds among the participants.

The archdiocese has previously paid $740 million to victims in various settlements and had pledged to better protect its church members, so this settlement would put the total payout at more than $1.5 billion, the Times said.

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 endured years of suffering long after the abuse occurred. Dozens have tragically passed away, leaving many to age and memories of the abuse within the church to fade. “It was time to bring this matter to resolution,” Stewart stated to The Times.

The settlement’s funds will be sourced from the archdiocese’s investments, accumulated reserves, bank financing, and other financial assets.

According to the archdiocese, certain religious orders and others named in the litigation will also cover some of the cost of the settlement, the Times said.