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Photo: Saint Joseph Cathedral, Franklin Street, Buffalo. (Credit)
The Diocese of Buffalo has agreed to a $150 million settlement to resolve more than 800 claims of sexual abuse, sources confirmed to WIVB News 4 Buffalo today, just hours after the death of Pope Francis at age 88 was announced. The agreement comes after years of legal maneuvering, negotiations, and a 2020 bankruptcy filing triggered by a flood of abuse lawsuits.
The settlement stems in large part from the 2019 passage of New York’s Child Victims Act, which opened a one-year lookback window for survivors to file civil claims against institutions, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. Just one year later, the Diocese filed for bankruptcy protection, as hundreds of abuse claims were filed in rapid succession.
According to a Monday court filing by co-mediators, the settlement includes both financial and non-financial terms. A portion of the compensation will be paid immediately upon confirmation of a reorganization plan, while the remaining funds will follow a tiered interest payment schedule. Though the filing did not specify the dollar figure, sources confirmed it to be $150 million.
Roughly 600 of the claims involved priests, some of whom were accused multiple times. Others involved lay personnel or church volunteers. The scope and volume of the claims have not only shaped the Diocese’s legal strategy but also played a central role in its broader restructuring efforts.
The Diocese’s financial strain—exacerbated by shrinking parish attendance and a dwindling number of active priests—has led to the closure or merging of churches across Western New York. In May 2023, Bishop Michael Fisher announced that 54 parishes would be affected. Parishioners submitted 52 counterproposals to avoid losing their local churches, and earlier this month, Save Our Buffalo Churches, an advocacy group, confirmed that at least 16 churches will remain open following successful appeals to the Vatican.
In addition to church closures, the Diocese has also cut internal operations, including the elimination of its insurance services department in August 2023.
Buffalo now joins other dioceses in New York, including Syracuse and Rochester, in reaching settlements with sexual abuse survivors. However, Buffalo’s is among the largest in the state, both in number of claims and total compensation.
A hearing on the settlement is scheduled for Tuesday at 10 a.m. in federal court in Buffalo. Co-mediators reported that parties are continuing to “negotiate in good faith” on unresolved matters, with additional mediation sessions scheduled for April 22 and 23.
Attorneys representing the survivors declined to comment until after the hearing.
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