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The Archdiocese of San Francisco has agreed to pay $395 million to settle more than 500 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by clergy and church officials, marking one of the largest abuse settlements in California and potentially ending a years-long bankruptcy battle.
The proposed settlement covers approximately 530 survivors and requires Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone to personally write an apology letter to each survivor.
It also mandates sweeping child protection and transparency reforms, including the publication of a list of clergy accused of abuse and a ban on confidentiality agreements that silence survivors. The settlement remains subject to approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
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“We believe this proposal provides a path toward fair compensation for survivors who have borne the weight of this abuse for a lifetime,” Cordileone said in a prepared statement. “The entire Catholic family is called to unite and share in the work of making amends through this proposed settlement.”
Cordileone said the archdiocese accepts responsibility for the abuse allegations, many of which date back decades, while pledging to continue supporting survivors and preventing future abuse.
“While the vast majority of sexual abuse allegations associated with this bankruptcy were from many decades ago, we accept full responsibility for what happened, and I sincerely apologize to all those who have been harmed,” he said. “We remain committed to the healing and care of survivors who have suffered because of past sins of Church ministers.”
The agreement is the latest in a wave of costly settlements involving California’s Catholic dioceses after a 2019 state law temporarily revived decades-old child sexual abuse claims.
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In 2024, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to an $880 million settlement with abuse survivors, while several other California dioceses filed for bankruptcy after facing hundreds of lawsuits.
The settlement marks another defining moment for Cordileone, one of the nation’s most prominent Catholic leaders, who has frequently spoken about challenges facing the church.
In a 2023 interview with Fox News Digital, Cordileone warned that Catholics were facing increasing hostility in American society.
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“We have to realize that we’re being explicitly attacked,” Cordileone said at the time. “Our properties are being attacked, our sacred symbols are being desecrated. We’re being explicitly insulted, and that’s been championed and celebrated in the culture.”
Cordileone also cautioned Catholics against becoming overly confrontational despite those challenges.
“I think we can’t be overly bombastic either,” he told Fox News Digital. “Where do you have to draw a line and take a strong stand? Because that can’t be overdone either — because after a while, one will lose credibility.”
Plaintiffs’ attorney Jeff Anderson called the settlement unprecedented, saying it not only provides financial compensation but also forces lasting institutional reforms.
Besides the $395 million payment, the archdiocese must maintain and publicly update a comprehensive list of clergy accused of abuse, disclose the outcomes of investigations and can no longer require survivors to sign confidentiality agreements.
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“I’ve been working with survivors for decades, and I’ve never heard of anything quite as significant, as rigorous, as robust as what is being required of the Archdiocese of San Francisco,” Anderson said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
