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July 4, 2005 
VOL.
43, NO. 13Oakland,
CA
Sacramento settles suits for $35 million
The Diocese of Sacramento has agreed to pay $35 million
to settle 33 clergy sexual abuse lawsuits, diocesan officials announced
at a press conference June 29.
Judge Richard K. Park, a retired Sacramento Superior Court judge, mediated
the agreement, which resolves all of the pending sexual abuse claims against
the diocese. The agreement was reached a day before the first civil case
was scheduled to go to trial.
Under the agreement, the plaintiffs will receive an average of $1.1 million.
“Anyone who suffered at the hands of a priest or church worker deserves
our care and compassion,” Sacramento Bishop William Weigand said
at the press conference. “I ask their forgiveness for the grievous
wrongs done to them and pray that this settlement today brings them peace
and closure.”
The diocese will fund the settlement through a 15 percent reduction in
operating expenses, loans and the sale of diocesan assets. Significantly
less than 50 percent of the settlement costs will be paid by insurance,
according to James Sweeney, attorney for the diocese.
Three Catholic religious orders whose priests were serving in the diocese
are also contributing to the settlement – the Dominicans, the Salesians
and the Redemptorists.
The Sacramento settlement was the third major one in California since
the state enacted a one-year window in 2003 during which victims of childhood
sexual abuse could file claims previously barred by the statute of limitations.
About 800 claims against the Church were filed statewide.
Last January the Diocese of Orange and 90 victims finalized
an agreement under which the victims received a total of $100 million.
On June 10, the Archdiocese of San Francisco and its insurance carriers
agreed to settle 15 clergy sexual abuse lawsuits for about $21,250,000.
Bishop Weigand said he and Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Garcia have offered
to meet privately with individual victims and their families to hear directly
about their experiences, to offer an apology on behalf of the diocese,
and to help support their spiritual and emotional healing. The bishop
said private or pastoral meetings without attorneys present were not permitted
while litigation was underway.
Bishop William K. Weigand
