Archdiocese of New York to pay $800 million to victims of sexual assault

The Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church of New York has agreed to pay more than $800 million to settle claims by more than 1,300 people alleging sexual abuse by clergy and laypeople. This was reported by the New York Times.

Each plaintiff will be able to receive a lump sum payment of at least $250,000. In addition to the financial side, the agreement stipulates that the archdiocese will publish the names of the accused clergymen and will update this list on its website.

To pay compensation, the archdiocese cut its operating budget by 10 percent and sold some of its property, including its headquarters land in eastern Manhattan.

In late September, Pope Leo XIV noted the contribution of French bishops in the fight against child abuse in the church and urged them to “maintain the greatest vigilance.” During his four-day visit to France, Leo XIV met in Lourdes with seven people who had been sexually abused by the clergy, whether in parishes, boarding schools, religious communities or church movements. At the end of the meeting, he thanked them for their “painful testimonies” and reiterated “the desire to ensure that the evil they have endured does not befall others.”.