Archdiocese of Los Angeles settles survivors’ lawsuits
For Immediate Release: October 16, 2024
Just today the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to pay $880 million to 1,353 victims of clergy sexual abuse who filed lawsuits in the civil window that closed in 2022. This is the largest settlement ever paid by the Church to date. Only a few lawsuits remain pending against the Archdiocese.
SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is grateful to the survivors who stood up for their rights and for all victims by filing civil actions. While the settlement agreed to today is for a record amount, we know that no amount of money can ever truly compensate these brave men and women for the damage they suffered as children. However, we hope that these monies will bring some measure of healing to those who came forward.
The Archdiocese is the largest in the United States, with over 4 million adherents who attend 300 churches.
“The LA Times reported that over 300 perpetrators have been accused in public records of sexually abusing children, yet SNAP’s list of abusers associated with the Archdiocese has over 500 names,” said SNAP Board of Directors Treasurer Dan McNevin. “We fear and believe there are many more survivors out there who have not yet come forward. It is incumbent on Archbishop José H. Gomez to find a way to bring those lost souls in from the cold.”
SNAP believes that this settlement is a good start, but that much work remains to be done. Parishioners and the public deserve the entire truth about who the accused were, as well as who enabled the perpetrators and covered up the crimes. We hope that as a part of the Archbishop’s atonement, that he pledges to release all clergy personnel files related to all these cases, updates his list of abusers, and announces enhanced safeguards to protect today’s children.
CONTACT: Dan McNevin, SNAP Board of Directors Treasurer ([email protected], 415-341-6417), Joey Piscitelli, SNAP Northern California ([email protected], 925-262-3699), Dorothy Small, SNAP Sacramento Area Leader, ([email protected], 530-908-3676), Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Director ([email protected], 925-708-6175), Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Interim Executive Director ([email protected], 814-341-8386)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for more than 35 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
