The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to a monumental $880 million settlement with 1,353 survivors of childhood sexual abuse, marking the largest payout of its kind by a U.S. diocese.
Archbishop José H. Gomez expressed profound remorse as the settlement was announced. “From the bottom of my heart, I am sorry for every one of these incidents,” he said, expressing hope that the agreement would bring survivors some measure of healing after years of silence and pain.
The settlement emerged after California expanded legal options for victims of past sexual abuse through a law that temporarily lifted statutes of limitations. Across the state, other Catholic entities—including the Archdiocese of San Francisco and dioceses in Oakland and San Diego—have turned to bankruptcy as a way to manage similar claims.
However, the Los Angeles Archdiocese avoided bankruptcy. Instead, it will draw on a combination of cash reserves, investments, loans, and contributions from associated religious groups to fund the payments. Gomez assured that the Archdiocese’s charitable work supporting “the poor and vulnerable” will remain unaffected.
A joint statement from representatives of the claimants and the Archdiocese emphasized the survivors’ courage in coming forward. “Though no amount of money can restore what these individuals lost, this settlement delivers accountability and justice,” it read.
This resolution closes a painful chapter for hundreds who have carried the burden of abuse for decades—while the Church pledges that such atrocities will never occur again.
