How long has it been since L.A. Archdiocese priests were accused of sexually molesting children in their tutelage? The Archdiocese has been haggling with the claimants for four years now.
Cardinal Roger Mahony did a phoner with the Times to say that the L.A. Archdiocese will pay $60 million to 45 parishioners who were sexually molested by its priests over the years. Some 517 claims are still pending, involving 200 priests and laymen dating back to the 1930s, the AP says.
Finally.
While the Times reports a dozen other Catholic institutions in the U.S. have settled with sex-abuse victims, this is the first time Mahony and the Archdiocese have done so ...
Where does this money come from? How does the Archdiocese have $60 million to throw around? Give it some thought next time you pass the collection plate:
Ray Boucher, the lead plaintiff's attorney, said the settlement involved 22 priests and was the largest settlement the Los Angeles archdiocese had reached "by far." He said more than $50 million would come from the archdiocese and about $8 million from religious orders.
"I wasn't certain we would ever get it done, but thankfully 45 very injured people will have a change to begin to heal, particularly at this time of the year," he said. "The big concern is the 700 or 600 victims who are out there who still have claims pending."
