Chicago Archdiocese Agrees To $12.7 Million Settlement

By Daniel Burke - Religion News Service
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 - Web Link
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August 13, 2008

The Archdiocese of Chicago has reached a $12.7 million settlement with 16 survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests, Cardinal Francis George announced Tuesday.

Fourteen of the cases involve abuse by 10 priests between 1962 and 1994, the archdiocese reported. Former priest Daniel J. McCormack, who pleaded guilty in 2007 to abusing five children, is responsible for remaining two.

George has apologized for not removing McCormack, who is now serving a five-year prison sentence, from ministry sooner. One case involving McCormack remains to be settled by the archdiocese.

"My hope is that these settlements will help the survivors and their families begin to heal and move forward," George said. "I apologize again today to the survivors and their families and to the whole Catholic community."

The 11 priests whose abuse led to the settlement have resigned, died, been sentenced to prison, or otherwise been removed from ministry, according to the archdiocese.

Since 1950, nearly 11,000 claims of sexual abuse by clergy have been made against the U.S. Catholic Church. The abuse scandal has cost the church more than $2 billion and bankrupted six dioceses.