The Archdiocese of New York and around 1,300 victims who said they were sexually abused by clergy and lay leaders have come to an $800 million settlement of their legal claims.

Archbishop Ronald Hicks sent an email on Saturday letting clergy know about the settlement of claims under the Child Victims Act. He said the deal would not be finalized until the plaintiffs, their attorneys and archdiocese representatives signed the settlement, a step that is scheduled for next month.

“We are on the verge of being able to, please God, bring some measure of healing and reconciliation to all victim-survivors. This agreement will also allow the archdiocese to turn its full attention once again to its mission of preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, caring for the poor and needy, welcoming the stranger, and educating our children,” Hicks wrote.

According to multiple reports, the settlement is the second-largest involving a Catholic archdiocese in the United States. The National Catholic Reporter wrote that the only larger settlement over sexual abuse claims in the country was by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which agreed in 2024 to pay $880 million to 1,000 abuse victims, in addition to $740 million in claims it had paid previously.

"The unanimous agreement of survivors who filed claims against the Archdiocese of New York marks a powerful moment in the pursuit of justice," Jeff Anderson, an attorney representing people who filed more than 1,000 claims against the Catholic Church in New York, said in a statement appearing in the National Catholic Reporter.

The New York Times , which first published the report, wrote that the settlement would call for each plaintiff to have the option of receiving a lump sum of at least $250,000, or a potentially larger payout after a review of the extent of the abuse each plaintiff has claimed, per the plaintiffs’ lawyers.

New York passed the Child Victims Act in 2019 that extended the deadline for victims of child sexual abuse to bring civil lawsuits until they turn 55 years old. It also temporarily allowed victims to pursue previously time-barred claims.

The Archdiocese of New York includes Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island and some Hudson Valley communities.

The settlement announced this weekend follows an agreement reached in May that required approval from everyone who filed a claim.

Barbara Russo-Lennon is a digital editor at amNewYork.

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