500 victims, $180 million in damages: US catholic church settles clergy sex abuse cases

The New Orleans Archdiocese has agreed to pay almost $180 million to over 500 victims of clergy sex abuse in one of the largest settlements in the history of the US Catholic Church. The settlement, revealed on Wednesday, follows decades of court fights, bankruptcy filings, and increasing calls from survivors and activists for accountability and compensation for widespread abuse.

Settlement Details and Funding

As part of the settlement, the archdiocese, parishes, and a group of insurance companies will pay a combined $179.2 million into a trust used to pay survivors. The money will be paid out when the archdiocese's bankruptcy case, which was initiated in 2020 as lawsuits and claims against clergy sexual abuse snowballed, is finished. The settlement also encompasses what church leaders characterize as "unprecedented" reforms, including a survivors' bill of rights and new procedures for addressing abuse claims, aimed at avoiding future abuse and assisting victims.

Survivor and Legal Responses

Although the historic scale of the payment was welcomed, many survivors and their lawyers have denounced the deal. Attorneys for the victims say the agreement was negotiated in secret and does not have the backing of a majority of survivors.


US"This so-called settlement was reached in a backroom deal done in secret that the Archdiocese, the creditors committees and the mediators knew the vast majority of victim-survivors would never accept and will surely reject in a vote," attorneys Soren Gisleson, Johnny Denenea, and Richard Trahant said in a statement. They referred to the agreement as "a continuation of the lifetime of abuse the Archdiocese has imposed on these individuals."

Aaron Hebert, who says he was molested by a priest during the 1960s, called the proposal "an insult and a slap to the face," contending the archdiocese is making the offer to keep survivors from filing their cases in state court.

Church Response and Next Steps

Archbishop Gregory Aymond was thankful for the deal, saying, "I am grateful to God for all parties who helped make this agreement, and I hope we can continue to move towards a way of healing for both survivors and our local church". The deal will need to be approved by the bankruptcy court, abuse victims, and other creditors before payments can be made.

Background and Impact

The lawsuit that led to the settlement involves more than 500 people who say they were abused by clergy, and it has resulted in the release of thousands of church documents detailing years of abuse allegations and a pattern of church leaders transferring accused priests without notifying law enforcement. In 2018, the archdiocese published a list of more than 70 clergy members who had been removed from ministry due to credible allegations of sexual abuse.

The article is part of a broader reckoning in the Catholic Church, which has been met with similar settlements in dioceses across the United States. While the New Orleans settlement is notable in scale and scope, survivors and advocates note that real justice will come from continuing to reform, be transparent, and make a commitment to preventing future abuse.