In a historic move, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has pledged to pay a staggering $880 million to victims of clergy sexual abuse, marking the largest single child sex abuse settlement with a Catholic archdiocese.
This announcement, made on Wednesday, comes after decades of abuse allegations that have cast a long shadow over the church.
As reported by Fox News, the settlement was reached after months of intense negotiations between attorneys representing 1,353 individuals who claim to have suffered horrific abuse at the hands of local Catholic priests and the archdiocese. This agreement brings to an end a quarter-century of litigation against the most populous archdiocese in the United States.
In the wake of the announcement, Archbishop Jos H. Gomez expressed his deep regret, stating, "I am sorry for every one of these incidents, from the bottom of my heart." He further expressed his hope that the settlement would provide "some measure of healing for what these men and women have suffered." He 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 Plaintiffs Liaison Committee attorneys echoed this sentiment in a joint statement, asserting, "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 settlement process, which will not involve the archdiocese, will see the plaintiffs allocating the settlement amount among themselves. This comes after the archdiocese had previously paid $740 million to victims in various settlements and had pledged to better protect its church members. This latest settlement pushes the total payout to over $1.5 billion.
Morgan Stewart, the attorney who spearheaded the negotiations, emphasized the urgency of the settlement, stating, "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."
The settlement will be financed through archdiocese investments, accumulated reserves, bank financing, and other assets. The archdiocese also revealed that certain religious orders and others named in the litigation will contribute to the cost of the settlement. This move signifies a significant step towards accountability and justice for the victims, and a commitment to reform within the church.
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