Camden Diocese Agrees To $180 Million Abuse Settlement
Camden Diocese agreed to pay $180 million to about 300 survivors, pending bankruptcy court approval, after withdrawing objections to a state grand jury probe.
Overview
Bishop Joseph Williams announced Tuesday that the Diocese of Camden agreed to pay $180 million to resolve clergy sexual abuse claims.
The settlement comes after the diocese withdrew its objection to a state grand jury investigation that the state Supreme Court has allowed to proceed.
Victims' attorney Greg Gianforcaro credited survivors' persistence in reaching the agreement, and a survivors' advocate praised the bishop for listening, according to interviews.
About 300 survivors brought claims against the Camden diocese, which serves six southern New Jersey counties, and the $180 million is smaller than the Archdiocese of Los Angeles's $880 million agreement in 2024.
The agreement must still be approved by a bankruptcy court, and victims' attorneys say the total includes $87.5 million the diocese agreed to pay in 2022.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story around institutional accountability by emphasizing scale of payouts and past cover-ups. Editorial choices use evaluative language ("scandal," "fought a grand jury investigation," "efforts to hide it"), prioritize victims and legal outcomes, and structure the piece as a cumulative list of large settlements, marginalizing church defenses or reform efforts.
Sources (5)
FAQ
The Camden Diocese settlement exceeds settlements in Boston and Philadelphia, which were each around $80 million[1][2]. However, it remains significantly smaller than the Archdiocese of Los Angeles's $880 million agreement reached in 2024[1][2]. The $180 million figure represents one of the largest settlements involving the Catholic Church in the U.S., though California has seen higher settlements overall[2].
The Diocese of Camden filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020 after New Jersey extended the statute of limitations, which allowed claims from those allegedly abused as children to move forward[1][4]. This legal change triggered a wave of lawsuits against the diocese. The settlement must still receive approval from a bankruptcy court before it becomes final.
The $180 million total includes the $87.5 million that the diocese agreed to pay in a 2022 settlement involving roughly 300 accusers[1][2]. This means the new additional contribution to the settlement fund is approximately $92.5 million beyond the earlier agreement[1].
The settlement requires the Diocese of Camden to disclose information about the history of sexual abuse within the diocese and to take steps aimed at transparency and prevention[3]. According to survivors' advocates, these accountability measures are important to ensure that abuse is preventable in the future[3].
Approximately 300 to 324 survivors of sexual abuse brought claims and are compensated by the settlement[1][4]. The Diocese of Camden serves six counties in southern New Jersey outside Philadelphia.
History
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