The Archbishop should write letters of apology to resolve the serious abuse of the clergy
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The Archdiocese of San Francisco has agreed to pay $395 million to settle more than 500 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by priests and church officials, marking one of the largest abuse sites in California and potentially ending a years-long bankruptcy battle.
The proposed agreement covers approximately 530 survivors and requires Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone to personally write a letter of apology to each survivor.
It also mandates child protection and transparency reforms, including publishing a list of clergy accused of abuse and banning non-disclosure agreements that silence survivors. The settlement remains subject to US Bankruptcy Court approval.
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Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone will have to write letters of apology to each survivor. (Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
“We believe this proposal provides a path toward fair compensation for survivors who have carried the burden of this abuse for the rest of their lives,” Cordileone said in a prepared statement. “Every Catholic family is called to unite and participate in the work of preparing this proposed solution.”
Cordileone said the diocese accepts responsibility for the abuse allegations, many of which date back decades, while pledging to continue to support survivors and prevent future abuse.
“Even though most of the allegations of sexual harassment associated with this lack of money came from decades ago, we accept full responsibility for what happened, and I apologize deeply to all those who were hurt,” he said. “We are committed to healing and caring for survivors who have suffered because of the past sins of the Church's clergy.”
The settlement is the latest in a series of expensive settlements involving California's Catholic dioceses after a 2019 state law temporarily revived allegations of child sex abuse.
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Members of the church are asking those involved in the vandalism to surrender and make compensation. (Rudi Suardi/iStock)
In 2024, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to pay $880 million in damages to abuse survivors, while several other California dioceses filed for bankruptcy after facing hundreds of lawsuits.
This agreement marks another important moment for Cordileone, who is one of the most prominent Catholic leaders in the country, who always talks about the challenges facing the church.
In a 2023 interview with Fox News Digital, Cordileone warned that Catholics are facing increasing hostility in the American public.
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Pope Leo XIV presides over a celebration at the parish of Santi Antonio Abate Francesca Cabrini in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Italy, on June 20, 2026, during his teaching visit to nearby Pavia. (Mario Tomassetti/Vatican Media)
“We have to understand that we are clearly under attack,” Cordileone said at the time. “Our sites are being attacked, our sacred symbols are being desecrated. We are being openly insulted, and that is respected and celebrated culturally.”
Cordileone also cautioned Catholics against being overly contentious despite those challenges.
“I think we're not going to overbomb either,” he told Fox News Digital. “Where do you have to draw the line and take a strong stand? Because that can't be over or – because after a while, one will lose credibility.”
Plaintiffs' attorney Jeff Anderson called the settlement unprecedented, saying it not only provides financial compensation but also forces permanent institutional changes.
In addition to the $395 million settlement, the diocese must maintain and publicly review a complete list of priests accused of abuse, disclose the results of investigations and no longer require survivors to sign confidentiality agreements.
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“I've been working with survivors for decades, and I've never heard anything so important, so strong, so strong as what is needed from the Archdiocese of San Francisco,” Anderson said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
