BOSTON (MA)
Boston Globe
By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff | April 20, 2006
Sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy cost the Archdiocese of Boston $150.8 million through the end of last June, the archdiocese said yesterday in a detailed examination of the financial implications of the abuse crisis.
''The substantial financial costs detailed in today's report reflect the staggering scope of the crisis," Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley said in a letter that accompanied the report on sexual abuse settlements, released to fulfill a portion of O'Malley's pledge of financial transparency.
The archdiocese said it had paid $127.4 million to settle claims brought by 895 people who said they were harmed by clergy sexual abuse over the years; an additional $8.8 million for support programs such as therapy for victims; and $14.6 million on legal, mediation, arbitration, and borrowing costs associated with paying settlements.
Additionally, the archdiocese last month agreed to settle abuse claims with an additional 88 people, for an average of $75,000 each, which would bring the totals to 983 settlements for approximately $157 million.