The Archdiocese of New Orleans, embroiled in a cloud of controversy, has agreed to pay nearly $180 million to victims of clergy sexual abuse, as part of a settlement announced on Wednesday.
The Archdiocese, its parishes, and several insurance companies will remit $179.2 million into a trust, which is designed to benefit the survivors of the abuse, as reported by the committee handling the negotiation of the agreement. The funds are expected to be distributed upon the church’s emergence from bankruptcy.
This development follows earlier reports that the settlement also includes what is being termed as ‘unprecedented’ provisions and procedures to protect against future abuse and provide aid to survivors. This includes a survivors’ bill of rights and changes to the Archdiocese’s process for handling abuse claims.
Archbishop Gregory Aymond expressed gratitude towards those who contributed to reaching this agreement and expressed hope that this might pave the way towards healing for both the survivors and the local church.
However, this settlement is yet to receive the final approval from the bankruptcy court, abuse survivors, and other Archdiocese creditors.
