Survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy accepted an $800 million (€714 million) settlement with the Archdiocese of New York, ending years of lawsuits, their lawyers announced on Saturday.
"The unanimous agreement of survivors who filed claims against the Archdiocese of New York marks a powerful moment in the pursuit of justice," Jeff Anderson, an attorney representing survivors, said in a statement.
"Through their courage, sacrifice, and determination, survivors have helped bring about a reckoning and a meaningful step toward accountability," it added.
The agreement was proposed by the Archdiocese of New York in May and is set to be formally signed in early November.
Each plaintiff to receive at least $250,000
Around 1,300 survivors are included in the agreement. Each of them is expected to receive at least $250,000, according to The New York Times, which broke the story. Some larger payouts are possible depending on the extent of the abuse.
"We are on the verge of being able to, please God, bring some measure of healing and reconciliation to all victim-survivors," New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks wrote in an email to clergy confirming the settlement.
"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," he added.
Hicks was appointed by the US-born Pope Leo in December 2025, replacing conservative Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Before leaving the post, Dolan had started a process of creating a $300 million fund to compensate victims of sexual abuse.
The deal announced on Saturday is one of the largest payouts over clergy sex abuse in the US — second only to an $880 million settlement reached by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2024.
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Edited by: Darko Janjevic
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