New York archdiocese agrees $800m clergy abuse deal

The Archdiocese of New York said on October 24 that it had agreed to pay more than $800 million to hundreds of people sexually abused by clergy, in a settlement expected to be formally signed in early November.

New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks wrote in an email to priests that the church was close to bringing “some measure of healing and reconciliation” to victim-survivors.

The New York Times, which first reported the agreement, said about 1,300 victims would each receive at least $250,000, and potentially more depending on the severity of the abuse.

The archdiocese covers Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx and several counties north of New York City. The deal ends years of negotiations with lawyers for the plaintiffs.

Before leaving office, Cardinal Timothy Dolan had announced a $300 million fund to compensate sexual abuse victims. The settlement follows broader abuse scandals in the US Catholic Church that have led dioceses across the country to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages or compensation.