St. Patrick's Cathedral, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - The Archdiocese of New York has agreed to settle a legal dispute with more than 1,000 parishioners who say they've been sexually abused by clergy members for $800 million.
What we know:
Archbishop Ronald Hicks sent a letter to the Church on Saturday announcing the settlement.
The settlement will "resolve all outstanding claims brought against the Archdiocese of New York, our parishes, and affiliated agencies, under the Child Victims Act," Hicks wrote.
Second-largest settlement in the U.S.
By the numbers:
While the deal has not yet been finalized — it's still pending final signatures — The Associated Press reports that the settlement is for $800 million, which would make it the second-largest sum ever for an Archdiocese in the U.S.
The largest was an $880 million settlement the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to pay victims in 2024.
What they're saying:
In his letter to clergy, Hicks said the settlement puts the Archdiocese "on the verge of being able to, please God, bring some measure of healing and reconciliation to all the victim-survivors."
In a statement to The Associated Press, Jeff Anderson, who represents many of the alleged victims, said that the settlement "marks a powerful moment in the pursuit of justice.
"Through their courage, sacrifice and determination, survivors have helped bring about a reckoning and a meaningful step toward accountability," Anderson said.
Final settlement pending
What's next:
The settlement has yet to be signed. According to Hicks, the two sides are scheduled to sign the agreement on Nov. 6.
The Source: Information in this story is from a letter from New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks to clergy members, details on the settlement numbers from The Associated Press, a statement from attorney Jeff Anderson to The Associated Press, and details from FOX 11 Los Angeles on the settlement agreed to by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2024.