The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has reached a historic settlement of $880 million to compensate 1,353 victims of clergy sexual abuse, marking the largest settlement ever paid by a single Catholic archdiocese.

Despite the archdiocese's efforts to prevent abuse and cooperate with law enforcement, new claims continue to emerge from decades past.

This agreement concludes over 25 years of litigation against the Archdiocese, which is the most populous in the United States.

Some of the claimants are now in their 60s and 70s, having never had the opportunity to file a case before the new law was enacted.

This settlement not only addresses the immediate claims but also reflects the severe harm done to children and the archdiocese's long history of neglect and cover-ups.

Negotiations for this settlement began in 2022 and took 18 months, focusing on achieving a fair payout while ensuring the archdiocese's financial stability.

With this settlement, the total amount paid by the archdiocese to abuse victims will exceed $1.5 billion, following previous payments of $740 million.

Many of the claims date back decades, but legal action was previously barred due to statutes of limitations until California's 2019 law allowed victims to reopen cases.

The archdiocese will fund the settlement through cash reserves, investments, loans, and contributions from other religious organizations, avoiding the use of donations designated for parishes.

Archbishop José H. Gomez expressed hope that the settlement would aid in healing for the victims, while attorneys thanked survivors for their courage in coming forward.

As part of the settlement, the archdiocese will disclose more files related to documented abuse by priests, aiming for transparency.

The settlement was announced on October 16, 2024, and surpasses the previous record of 600 million euros set by the archdiocese in 2007.