The Diocese of Camden announced a proposed $180 million settlement on Tuesday to resolve claims by hundreds of childhood victims who suffered sexual abuse over the years at the hands of the clergy.<\/p>\n
Church officials said the plan, which was filed in its ongoing bankruptcy case, will establish a trust funded by the diocese, its parishes and the various insurers that insured the diocese in the past.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the survivors of South Jersey, this day is long overdue and represents a milestone in their journey toward restored justice and the healing and recognition they have long sought and deserve,\u201d said Bishop Joseph Williams in a letter to the diocese. <\/p>\n
The flood of victims, now all adults, led to the diocese seeking bankruptcy protection in 2020<\/a>, in the wake of an extension of time allowed to file for recompense under the New Jersey Independent Victims Compensation Program<\/a>. Those claims left the church with mountains of debt.<\/p>\n \u201cTo each one of those survivors, I would like to say thank you for your courage in coming forward. Without your bravery and persistence, this new day would not have dawned,\u201d wrote the bishop. \u201cI am profoundly sorry for what you have suffered. It was a grave sin and a devastating betrayal of the trust you placed in the church that you loved. <\/p>\n \u201cI cannot remove the scars you carry nor restore the innocence you lost, but on behalf of my predecessors and the faithful of Camden I can say clearly and without reservation we believe you, we are sorry and we are committed to walking a different path going forward with you, God willing, at our side.\u201d<\/p>\n Because the settlement was approved by the diocese, its insurers, and the committee representing victims, the judge is expected to approve it. How much each individual receives will be determined by a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge, according to attorneys representing individuals who made claims.<\/p>\n The Camden diocese oversees nearly half a million Catholics in 62 parishes in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.<\/p>\n While the proposed settlement is large, it remains dwarfed by $880 million settlement that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to pay<\/a> in 2024 to victims of clergy sexual abuse there that dated back decades.<\/p>\n In Camden, more than 300 claims have been filed by sexual abuse survivors. How much each are awarded will be determined by the court, according to attorneys involved in the negotiations.<\/p>\n A committee charged with protecting the interests of approximately 330 survivors of sexual abuse who were among the bankruptcy creditors said the settlement was more than six times the amount originally proposed in the diocese\u2019s 2021 reorganization plan.<\/p>\n