Financial and Legal Resolution
The Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to an $880 million settlement for sex abuse claims by over 1,300 victims, marking it as the largest single child sex abuse settlement with a Catholic archdiocese.
This settlement, which brings the total paid by the archdiocese to nearly $1.5 billion, addresses claims filed under California's Assembly Bill 218, temporarily waiving the statute of limitations for such lawsuits.
Commitment and Criticism
Archbishop José H. Gomez expressed deep sorrow and a commitment to healing, emphasizing that the settlement would not affect donations to parishes or schools and that the church would remain vigilant against future abuse.
Critics, including victims' attorney Morgan A. Stewart, highlighted the settlement's reflection of decades of neglect and cover-up by the archdiocese, urging other religious institutions to take responsibility.