CHICAGO (IL)
Belleville News-Democrat
Associated Press
CHICAGO - The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago has reached an out-of-court settlement with 24 men and women who say they were sexually abused by priests as children.
Neither the archdiocese nor lawyers for the accusers would disclose the amount of the settlement announced Thursday. It was paid to 22 men and two women who say they were abused between 1957 and 1987 when they ranged in age from 8 to 17.
The settlement involves 14 current and former priests, none of whom is in active ministry, said archdiocese spokesman Jim Dwyer. He said the settlement means all the allegations had been deemed credible.
At least five of the priests are deceased while Dwyer said the others have been removed from ministry.