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Image: U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York. Screenshot from United States Courts.
Nearly 900 sexual abuse claims against the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo are a step closer to resolution after survivors overwhelmingly voted to approve a $327 million settlement plan, BuffaloNews.com reported, per the website, Bishop Accountability.
The vote moves the diocese toward the end of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case that began in February 2020, following hundreds of lawsuits accusing priests and other Catholic Church employees of sexually abusing children.
More than 99% of participating claimants approved the agreement, far exceeding the two-thirds majority required for the plan to advance.
The settlement isn’t final. A federal bankruptcy judge must still confirm the plan, and the amount each survivor will receive hasn’t been determined.
For survivors who have spent years waiting for compensation, the vote represents substantial progress. For others, it comes with lingering questions about whether the diocese has done enough to confront its history of abuse and concealment.
Survivors Approve Settlement Despite Lingering Concerns
Kevin Brun, a survivor of clergy sexual abuse in the Buffalo Diocese, was among those who voted in favor of the settlement.
But his decision wasn’t easy.
Brun told The Buffalo News that his primary concern throughout the bankruptcy proceedings had been institutional accountability. He wanted Catholic leaders to change how they investigated abuse complaints, disclosed information and cooperated with law enforcement.
After nearly seven years, he remains unconvinced that meaningful changes have occurred.
Nevertheless, Brun voted yes because other survivors have waited decades for compensation and may be depending on the settlement money.
His decision reflects a difficult choice facing many survivors in institutional abuse litigation: Accept a financial agreement that may finally bring a lengthy legal process to an end, or continue pressing for changes that aren’t guaranteed.
The overwhelming approval vote suggests that most participating claimants decided it was time to move forward.
How the Buffalo Diocese Settlement Reached $327 Million
The agreement has grown considerably since earlier negotiations.
In 2025, the diocese proposed a settlement worth approximately $274 million. At that point, the plan included $150 million from the diocese and affiliated Catholic organizations, with additional contributions expected from insurers.
The latest agreement totals approximately $327 million.
Under the current proposal:
- Roughly $150 million would come from the diocese, parishes and other affiliated Catholic institutions.
- Approximately $177 million would be provided by insurance companies.
- The money would fund a trust to resolve eligible sexual abuse claims.
The contributions from parishes have been especially contentious.
Some Catholic congregations challenged the amounts they were being required to pay, arguing that their financial obligations threatened local churches and ministries.
Certain parishes appealed their contributions through the Vatican’s administrative process. The diocese has maintained that those disputes won’t prevent it from honoring the broader settlement agreement.
The proposed resolution would also allow the diocese to emerge from bankruptcy and channel covered sexual abuse claims through the settlement trust.
Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawsuits: Know Your Legal Options
The Buffalo Diocese settlement is one of several major agreements involving Catholic institutions accused of failing to protect children from sexual abuse.
Survivors across the country may have options for pursuing civil claims against dioceses, religious orders and other Catholic organizations. Eligibility and filing deadlines vary by state.
How Much Will Individual Survivors Receive?
The $327 million figure represents the overall settlement fund, not an equal payment to each claimant.
If the bankruptcy court confirms the plan, an independent claims evaluator will review individual cases and determine compensation according to an established allocation system.
Factors may include the nature and severity of the abuse, supporting documentation and the circumstances surrounding each claim.
Survivors may be able to submit additional information before their awards are calculated. Those who disagree with an initial assessment are expected to have an opportunity to request reconsideration, although that process may involve a fee.
Payments could begin during the first quarter of 2027 if the remaining legal steps proceed as anticipated.
That timeline remains tentative.
Federal Judge Must Still Approve the Settlement
The next major step is judicial confirmation.
Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Carl L. Bucki is scheduled to receive the voting results at a November 18 hearing in Buffalo.
The parties are also finalizing insurance agreements and preparing for additional proceedings, including a December 8 court date.
The judge must determine whether the reorganization plan satisfies the requirements of federal bankruptcy law before it can take effect.
Once approved and implemented, the plan would establish the mechanism for distributing settlement funds and resolving covered claims against the diocese and participating Catholic entities.
Until then, the settlement remains a proposal endorsed by claimants rather than a completed agreement.
Diocesan Records and Child Protection Reforms
Financial compensation has been only one part of the dispute.
Throughout the bankruptcy negotiations, survivors and advocates have pushed for greater transparency surrounding allegations against clergy and other church personnel.
Proposals discussed during the proceedings have included making clergy personnel records more accessible and strengthening policies designed to protect children.
Survivors have also questioned whether the diocese has been sufficiently forthcoming about past allegations and its handling of accused priests.
Those concerns are especially significant given the history that brought the diocese into bankruptcy.
In 2018, reports of previously concealed abuse allegations helped expose the scope of misconduct within the Buffalo Diocese. Hundreds of survivors subsequently filed civil lawsuits under New York’s Child Victims Act, which temporarily allowed many older childhood sexual abuse claims to proceed.
The wave of litigation ultimately led the diocese to seek Chapter 11 protection in February 2020.
Although the settlement vote marks substantial progress, questions about disclosure, accountability and the effectiveness of future safeguards remain important.
One of the Largest Catholic Church Abuse Settlements in the U.S.
At approximately $327 million, the Buffalo agreement would rank among the largest Catholic diocesan sexual abuse settlements in the country.
The bankruptcy case illustrates how difficult it can be for hundreds of survivors to pursue claims against a large religious institution while negotiating with insurers, parishes and other affiliated organizations.
For some survivors, the approaching conclusion offers the possibility of compensation after years of delays.
For others, the outcome will ultimately be measured by more than a settlement check.
The upcoming confirmation proceedings will determine whether the agreement becomes final. The longer-term question is whether the Diocese of Buffalo will provide the transparency and institutional changes survivors have demanded for years.
RELATED COVERAGE:
Largest Catholic Clergy Sexual Abuse Settlements in the United States
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Buffalo Diocese Abuse Settlement Could Include Safety Reforms and Public Access to Clergy Files
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