The Archdiocese of New York confirmed that it has reached an agreement to offer more than $800 million, equivalent to approximately 714 million euros, as compensation to hundreds of people who were victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy members.
This agreement, scheduled to be formalized in early November, concludes long negotiations for the victims. The American Catholic Church has faced sexual abuse scandals since the early 2000s, as reported by the agency France-Presse (AFP).
Ronald Hicks, the new Archbishop of New York, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, writing in an email to the priests of the diocese and forwarding it to AFP: 'We are about to bring some comfort to all victims, thank God.'
According to The New York Times, which reported on the agreement, each of the approximately 1,300 victims will receive a minimum of $250,000 (about 223,000 euros), with the final amount determined by the severity of the abuse suffered.
Ronald Hicks was appointed bishop the previous year by Pope Leo XIV, succeeding Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Before leaving office, Timothy Dolan had announced the creation of a fund to compensate victims of sexual abuse amounting to $300 million (267.8 million euros).
In the 2000s, journalistic investigations exposed that Catholic priests in the United States sexually abused thousands of children over many years. Furthermore, the Church hierarchy, including bishops, frequently concealed these cases or relocated abusive priests instead of reporting them to the competent authorities.
Dioceses have been obliged to pay high sums in compensation, and programs have been established to compensate victims without the need for legal proceedings.
In a similar move, the Archdiocese of San Francisco announced last month, in June, an agreement to pay $395 million (352.6 million euros) to approximately 530 victims of sexual abuse committed by clergy members, thus resolving their legal cases.