Court approves Catholic diocese's $323M sexual abuse settlement
A court has approved a Roman Catholic diocese’s settlement with sexual abuse survivors, which is the largest such payment in New York state history.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre, based on Long Island, New York, published a statement Wednesday noting that it had reached a $323 million settlement with survivors of sexual abuse: “We are grateful to God that on December 4th, the court confirmed the Plan that resolves and ends the Bankruptcy Case for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, all our parishes, and related ministries.”
“For the sake of abuse survivors and the [Catholic] Church’s mission on Long Island, we pray that the Plan brings some measure of healing to survivors and allows the [Catholic] Church to carry on the saving mission of Jesus Christ,” a spokesperson for the diocese added. “Victim survivors of child abuse deserve our respect, our prayers, and our pastoral support. The Church is grateful for their courage and perseverance.”
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The diocese provided a breakdown of where the funds to cover the cost of the settlement would come from: “The Diocese, parishes and other related entities contributed a total of $234.8 million. Insurance companies contributed a total of just over $85 million. Counsel for the Creditor’s Committee contributed just over $3 million.”
The Diocese explained that it entered into bankruptcy proceedings in order to “secure a release from any past liabilities for the parishes” and ensure that parishes can “continue their ministry, free from historical lawsuits and free from bankruptcy.” The statement added that, “No parishes are closing as a result of this process” and “No Catholic Ministries Appeal donations were used for this settlement.”
“The Diocese’s goal has always been the equitable compensation of survivors of abuse while allowing the [Catholic] Church to continue her essential mission. We believe this plan has achieved those goals,” the diocese concluded.
The Diocese of Rockville Centre first announced that it had reached a settlement with more than 600 abuse survivors in September. Survivors had previously rejected a $200 million offer made by the diocese, which fell short of the $450 million requested by lawyers for the abuse victims.
According to data compiled by the Bishop Accountability Project, 128 priests in the Diocese of Rockville, both living and deceased, have faced credible allegations of abuse. The diocese first filed for bankruptcy four years ago after the New York Child Victims Act became law in 2019.
The legislation established a one-year window where survivors could bring forth lawsuits alleging abuse that took place outside the statute of limitations and extended the timeframe when a victim could file a lawsuit alleging clerical abuse from within one to five years after the survivor turns 18 to until the victim reaches 55 years of age.
In addition to the Diocese of Rockville Centre, several other dioceses in New York and across the United States have filed for bankruptcy as they faced a multitude of abuse claims following the passage of state laws allowing survivors to file lawsuits regardless of how long ago the misdeeds occurred.
The Diocese of Rochester in New York and the Dioceses of Fresno and Sacramento in California have also entered into bankruptcy proceedings in response to lawsuits brought by those who experienced abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
