By Pat Ciarrocchi
KYW
July 16, 2007
http://cbs3.com/local/local_story_197183158.html
Philadelphia — Monday was a monumental day for than 500 victims of sexual abuse by a priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
A formal agreement was reached for a settlement of $660 million dollars owed to victims in the nation's largest Catholic Archdiocese.
A judge approved the settlement to split among 550 victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests after five years of negotiations.
"No matter how much money you give me, I can't cash that check and take it somewhere where I'm ten years old again," said L.A. victim, Steven Sanchez.
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| Monday was a monumental day for more than 500 victims of sexual abuse by a priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. |
John Salveson, who is the victim of abuse, has become a Philadelphia advocate for changing the civil law in Pennsylvania. Salveson wants to make the Philadelphia Archdiocese accountable for their actions.
"The thing I feel good about in the settlement includes releasing documents on abusive priests and about how they were moved around. To get the truth we need that," said Salveson.
In 2005, a Philadelphia grand jury found decades of alleged abuse at the hands of priests; however no church leaders were indicted.
"It would open up a two year window and during that window people from the past could file civil suits and they would not be thrown out with the statute of limitation," said Salveson.
The Philadelphia Archdiocese currently opposes a change in the civil law.
The Archdiocese is now focusing their efforts on training people to spot the abuse and expanding its counseling assistance to abuse victims.
The Catholic Church has paid over 2 billion dollars to make amends following this most recent settlement.
For more information, you can call the Victim Assistance Coordinators at 888-800-8780 .
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