Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese to Pay $880 Million in Child Sex Abuse Settlement
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to pay an enormous settlement of $880 million to resolve claims of sexual abuse brought by 1,353 individuals. These individuals, many of whom were minors at the time of the abuse, accused Catholic priests of perpetrating the crimes. This settlement is now considered the largest payout of its kind by a U.S. diocese over such long-standing allegations.
Archbishop José H. Gomez expressed deep remorse during the announcement, emphasizing the immense sorrow felt for the survivors. He acknowledged the pain and trauma these victims endured, stating, "I am sorry for every one of these incidents, from the bottom of my heart." While financial restitution cannot undo the suffering, Gomez expressed hope that this settlement would offer some form of healing for the victims.
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The settlement stems from a change in California law that allowed survivors to file new lawsuits based on past incidents of sexual abuse involving minors. This legal shift has had far-reaching implications, forcing several Catholic institutions to confront a flood of lawsuits. In fact, similar lawsuits in California have driven other major Catholic entities, including the San Francisco Archdiocese and the Oakland and San Diego dioceses, into bankruptcy as they attempt to deal with the financial repercussions. Notably, the Los Angeles Archdiocese has avoided filing for bankruptcy in this case.
According to Archbishop Gomez, the payout will come from a combination of cash reserves, investments, loans, and contributions from religious organizations also named in the lawsuits. He assured that these financial moves will not interfere with the archdiocese’s ongoing charitable missions, particularly its work to serve the poor and vulnerable within the community.
The legal representatives for both the archdiocese and the plaintiffs issued a joint statement, commending the bravery of the survivors for coming forward. They emphasized that, while no amount of compensation could ever fully repair the harm done, the settlement represents an important step towards accountability and justice.
This landmark agreement not only reflects a measure of financial compensation but also highlights the larger commitment to ensure that abuses of this nature are never repeated. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of confronting and addressing such institutional failures, while offering hope that the survivors can find some semblance of peace moving forward.
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