It has recently been revealed that the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh  has paid out a total of $10.8 million over the past three decades to resolve priest molestation cases.

That amount includes settlements to victims and legal fees. The amount does not include approximately $5 million that has been paid out in pensions to priests who have been suspended over allegations of molestation.

This information comes from Bishop David Zubik in response to Pennsylvania Diocese Victims Report. Released in August of 2018, that document, resulting from an extensive grand jury investigation, revealed over 90 alleged priest abuse cases across the Keystone State dating back to the late 1940s. Prior to the publication of that report, the public had had no knowledge of the true extent of the problem.

Tip of the Iceberg?

According to a piece appearing in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette over the 4th of July weekend, that nearly $11 million dollar figure is a small amount compared to what has been paid by other dioceses in New York, New Jersey, and other states. Estimates indicate that the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. has paid out $3 billion since the 1980s in order to settle priest molestation cases. Some of those settlements have run into the nine figure range, and have driven organizations into bankruptcy.

Last year, the Diocese of Pittsburgh started a program to compensate victims of sexual abuse by clergy without the need to resort to litigation. According to Bishop Zubik, the program would be funded by the sale of “historical diocesan assets” and properties in the downtown area.

Advocacy Groups are Skeptical

The Tribune-Democrat reports that the Catholic sex abuse compensation program has been criticized by victim advocates, who say the real reasons have less to do with helping survivors and more to do with reducing political pressure. This point was brought up by Terry Kiernan, founder of Bishop Accountability. “I don’t think the numbers represent the level of the problem,” Kiernan told the Post Gazette. “They indicate how well the problem was kept under wraps.” Allowing out-of-court settlements could mean that many cases will continue to be concealed from public knowledge.

Kiernan notes that prior to the release of the grand jury report, Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania have been able to avoid litigation because of the state’s statute of limitations. Neighboring New York and New Jersey have recently lifted similar statutes on priest abuse cases, either in whole or in part – which gives Pennsylvania dioceses serious cause for concern.

Priest Abuse Cases Continue

A few days after the publication of the Post Gazette article, the Diocese of Pittsburgh reportedly alerted the Vatican to an investigation of a deacon who was accused of “inappropriate contact” with an underage girl in 2016. According to TribLive, the deacon at the center of that clergy abuse investigation, which will be taken over by the Vatican going forward, has been placed on “administrative leave” pending the outcome.

The parish at which the incident took place was also tied to an alleged incident of rape of an older woman by a visiting priest later that year.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.