Archdiocese of New York agrees to $800 million settlement over sexual abuse claims

The Archdiocese of New York has agreed to pay $800 million to settle the claims brought against the church by some 1,300 people who say they faced sexual abuse from clergy members and lay workers.

Jeff Anderson, a lawyer whose firm represents more than 250 of the plaintiffs, said the settlement was finalized, pending signed paperwork, and that all plaintiffs had agreed to the settlement.

In an email sent to priests of the archdiocese on Saturday afternoon and shared with NPR, Archbishop Ronald Hicks also said the deal had not yet been signed but that an agreement had been reached with plaintiffs and their attorneys.

"We are on the verge of being able to, please God, bring some measure of healing and reconciliation to all victim-survivors," Hicks wrote in the email. "This agreement will also allow the archdiocese to turn its full attention once again to its mission of preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, caring for the poor and needy, welcoming the stranger, and educating our children."

Anderson says that following the agreement, his clients have expressed mixed feelings of both sorrow about the abuse they experienced as well as relief that the legal fight is over.

"The first is a real sense of relief and achievement," Anderson said, and "the belief that having stood up at least they have now a chance to move forward and have done something to protect others in the future and clean up the archdiocese of New York."

The agreement was first reported by The New York Times.

This is one of the largest settlements in the Catholic church related to sexual abuse claims. In 2024, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to a $880 million settlement to victims of sexual abuse by its clergy.

In December 2025, the Archdiocese of New York agreed to mediation to settle the 1,300 sexual abuse claims and said it had laid off staff and planned to sell some of its Manhattan properties in effort to raise $300 million to pay survivors.

NPR's Daniel Burke contributed reporting.