ROCHESTER (NY)
WHAM-TV, Ch. 13 [Rochester NY]
March 24, 2023
By WHAM
More than 400 Sexual abuse survivors who sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester under the New York Child Victims Act have reached a settlement with the diocese.
The $75.6 million settlement is the first of its kind in New York state. The payout includes a previously reported $55 million from the diocese and parishes, along with $20.6 million from two of the diocese’s insurers.
BACKGROUND: Diocese of Rochester survivors reach settlement | Following settlement, sex abuse victims at crucial point in journey to justice
The settlement also gives survivors the ability to legally prosecute the diocese’s insurers.
Rochester’s diocese was the first in New York state to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid a flood of lawsuits under the Child Victims Act. The dioceses of Buffalo, Syracuse, Rockville Centre (Long Island) and Albany have followed.
The settlement awaits approval from bankruptcy court and needs to be voted on by the survivors.
The diocese released a statement following the news:
Today, we filed a joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization, along with a joint disclosure statement in support of the plan, for the Diocese of Rochester. We are pleased to enter into this joint resolution with the Creditors Committee to provide recompense to the survivors.
Once again Bishop Salvatore R. Matano renews, with deep sincerity, an apology to the survivors of sexual abuse of minors, who have been harmed by these egregious acts, as well as to their families and the faithful of our Diocese who have endured this sad moment in our history.