Key facts
- The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco agreed to a $395 million settlement with 530 abuse survivors.
- This settlement is the largest reached in bankruptcy by any Catholic diocese.
- The archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in 2023.
- The deal includes publishing the names of credibly accused priests and implementing new safeguards.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco has announced a $395 million settlement with approximately 530 individuals who claim they were sexually abused as children by priests. This agreement is intended to resolve the archdiocese's bankruptcy case, making it the largest such settlement in a Catholic diocese bankruptcy to date.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali in San Francisco must approve the deal before it becomes final. The archdiocese, which serves nearly 450,000 Catholics across San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin counties, has also committed to publishing the names of priests credibly accused of child sexual abuse and to implementing additional safeguards against future misconduct.
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone stated, "We remain committed to the healing and care of survivors who have suffered because of past sins of Church ministers." He added prayers for survivors, the archdiocese, and the eradication of such crimes.
The archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in 2023, following similar filings by over two dozen Catholic dioceses in recent years. These filings were often prompted by laws enacted in states like California and New York that allowed victims to file lawsuits for decades-old abuse.
This settlement surpasses the $323 million bankruptcy deal previously reached by the diocese of Rockville Centre on Long Island, New York. Larger settlements have been reached by the archdioceses of Los Angeles and New York without them filing for bankruptcy.
Steve Moreno, who was part of a court-appointed committee for abuse survivors during the bankruptcy proceedings, described the deal as a positive step forward after years of litigation. He noted that no amount of money can fully compensate for the pain and shame of enduring child abuse in silence.