ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A settlement has been reached in the bankruptcy case involving the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. The diocese will have to pay $148 million to survivors who were sexually abused by clergy, leaders, employees, and volunteers of the diocese.
The Albany diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 15, 2023 after settling over 50 child abuse lawsuits. The bankruptcy filing put several other cases on hold. Over 400 child abuse lawsuits were filed against the diocese after the New York State Child Victims Act in 2019 made it possible for people to file lawsuits years after abuse occurred. Many of those cases dated back to the mid-to-late 1900s.
Bishop Mark O'Connell issued the following statement to survivors and the Catholic community: "As the Bishop of Albany, I want to say a clear and unnuanced statement of guilt on the part of the diocese in its handling of our predator priests and others within the diocese. It is a shameful chapter in our history and no monetary settlement such as the one reached today will erase the pain caused to survivors. On behalf of the Diocese of Albany, I apologize and promise to be exceedingly diligent in my time in Albany to prevent anything like this occurring again."
A dozen victim impact statements were shared in September in the Albany federal courthouse in relation to sexual abuse at the hands of the Albany diocese.
"Today was the first time in this case, in this sterile bankruptcy process that survivors, who the case is about, will have a voice," Taylor Stippel Sloan told NEWS10 at the time.
The victims who spoke in court shared that they have carried a weight with them every day. Quotes from court included:
- "I am now 80 years old. I think about it every day and every night."
- "I felt like I was drowning with God himself forcing me under water."
- "No one ever told me I was allowed to say no."
- "I'm incredibly angry that an institution that is supposed to be protecting me, chose instead to protect itself."
With the settlement now reached, the diocese said it is continuing to discuss details of a safe environment and child protection protocols. An agreement on enhanced measures will be announced in the near future.
Bishop O'Connell will speak with the media about the settlement on Friday afternoon.
The Albany diocese said the settlement was an agreement between the diocese and a Tort Committee that was comprised entirely of survivors of sexual abuse by clergy members and employees within the Diocese of Albany. The settlement amount remains subject to a creditor vote and court approval.