Archdiocese in the USA pays R$ 4.9 billion in sexual abuse action against children

The amount of R$4.9 billion is the largest ever paid by a Catholic diocese in litigation over alleged abuse of its members, according to CBS. This new agreement signed by the archdiocese increases to US$1.5 billion (around R$8.5 billion) the amount spent on compensation paid by the institution in sexual abuse cases against Catholic leaders. In 2007, the Archdiocese had reached a US$600 million settlement in the lawsuit involving 500 alleged victims.

The amount will be paid from the Archdiocese’s financial reserves, according to the archbishop. “We have determined that funding for this settlement will be drawn from reserves, investments and loans, along with other archdiocesan assets and payments that will be made by religious orders and others named in the litigation.”

If the agreement is approved, payments must be made between 2025 and 2026. Also according to the archbishop, “no donations designated for parishes, schools or archdiocesan campaigns will be used to finance this agreement.”

Archdiocese reiterated that the claims resolved in this agreement do not involve priests who are currently in ministry. “Most of the allegations covered by the agreement occurred more than 50 years ago,” adds the statement from the archdiocese, which still faces other actions for alleged abuses by its members.