Overview
- The proposed fund would total $180 million to resolve claims by more than 300 people who reported clergy sexual abuse.
- Funding combines previously negotiated diocesan money with new contributions from insurers, raising the figure above the earlier $87.5 million.
- The agreement supplements a 2024 reorganization plan and will be submitted to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for approval before distributions begin.
- Bishop Joseph A. Williams apologized to survivors and described the deal as a long-overdue step toward recognition, healing, and accountability.
- The diocese filed for Chapter 11 in 2020 after a wave of lawsuits, and survivor attorneys credited years of persistence for achieving the settlement.