(OSV News) — The Archdiocese of San Francisco has agreed to a proposed $395 million settlement that would resolve hundreds of lawsuits filed by survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
The archdiocese said the settlement “agreement in principle” is related to survivors who came forward when the state of California passed legislation that allowed survivors of sexual abuse to file civil claims within a three-year window that otherwise were barred by the statute of limitations.
The settlement is part of the archdiocese’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan for reorganization, according to the June 29 announcement about the settlement agreement.
The announcement said, “The proposed financial settlement would resolve the more than 500 lawsuits related to child sexual abuse allegations brought against the (archdiocese) under AB 218.”
Lawsuits filed under California ‘lookback’ law
In the 2019 law, Assembly Bill 218, California changed the statute of limitations for filing claims from age 26 to age 40 in order to address situations when some survivors are not ready to confront their abuse until multiple years later.
The law covers claims of survivors who have discovered that they developed psychological or psychological illness related to the abuse that took place years earlier. It also built in a “lookback window” or three-year period, starting Jan. 1, 2020, that allowed longtime survivors to sue their abusers and institutions the abusers belonged to, regardless of how long ago the abuse happened.
“We believe this proposal provides a path toward fair compensation for survivors who have borne the weight of this abuse for a lifetime,” Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco said in the announcement.
He said, “The entire Catholic family is called to unite and share in the work of making amends through this proposed settlement. We have a moral obligation to bring some level of healing and reconciliation to those who deserve our unwavering respect, attention and prayers.”
Billions paid to victims of abuse over 20 years
The changes in the California law also brought a rush of settlement claims to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which at the end of 2024 paid out $880 million. This brought its total claims settled to at least $1.54 billion over two decades.
Over a 20 year period, the Catholic Church in the U.S. has spent more than $5 billion in abuse settlements. Apart from the Los Angeles Archdiocese, some of the largest settlements include the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York for $323 million in 2025 and the Archdiocese of New Orleans for $230 million also in 2025. Both of these were part of bankruptcy reorganization plans, which aggregate all claims instead of handling each claim separately.
The Archdiocese of New York is in talks for a proposed $800 million settlement of more than 1,300 claims naming clergy and staff.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops revised their “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” (known as the “Dallas Charter”) at their June 10-12 annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. They stated the Church would “act on the presumption of the sincerity of those who bring forth a complaint of sexual abuse” while also maintaining “a corresponding presumption of innocence on the part of the accused until guilt is proven.”
Archdiocese of San Francisco reiterates commitment to survivors
The San Francisco Archdiocese reiterated its commitment to survivors of abuse. In announcing the agreement, it highlighted the availability of resources for survivors including counseling and pastoral assistance, and safe environment policies and protocols established even before the 2002 Dallas Charter.
“While the vast majority of sexual abuse allegations associated with this bankruptcy were from many decades ago, we accept full responsibility for what happened, and I sincerely apologize to all those who have been harmed,” Archbishop Cordileone said.
“We remain committed to the healing and care of survivors who have suffered because of past sins of Church ministers,” he said. “We pray for all survivors of sexual abuse, for our Archdiocese, parish communities and schools, and for the eradication of this shameful crime from our midst and from society as a whole.”
Simone Orendain is an OSV News correspondent. She writes from Chicago.
