Archdiocese of New York agrees to $800 million settlement over abuse claims

The Archdiocese of New York has reached an $800 million settlement addressing claims from about 1,300 people who reported sexual abuse by clergy members. The agreement would rank as the second-largest settlement involving a U.S. Catholic archdiocese.

The matter follows more than seven years of litigation. It also calls for the archdiocese to release records concerning sexual offenders. Under the agreement, survivors could pursue additional payments from church insurers.

Archbishop Ronald Hicks told archdiocesan priests that the parties had reached an agreement. He confirmed the agreement to clergy on October 24, 2026. The settlement remained unsigned when the report describing it was published.

The claims involve alleged abuse by clergy, and one account said the agreement also covers allegations involving lay workers. The settlement addresses claims from parishioners and others who reported sexual abuse. Its $800 million value would place it among the largest settlements involving a U.S. Catholic archdiocese. The agreement brings together claims from approximately 1,300 people in a case that continued through more than seven years of litigation.