Three Colorado Catholic dioceses will reportedly pay 73 survivors of child sex abuse by Catholic priests a total of $6.68 million, according to a recent report.
The money will come from the Independent Reconciliation and Reparations Program that went into effect in October of 2019. Under the program, survivors of child sex abuse perpetrated by priests in three Colorado Catholic dioceses, the Archdiocese of Denver, Diocese of Colorado Springs, and Diocese of Pueblo, can file a claim.
According to the Associated Press, 90 total claims were made since the reparations program was initiated. Eight claims were reportedly rejected and another eight are still pending. AP reports that some of the pending claims still need to be investigated by law enforcement.
“Of the 81 eligible claimants, some were previously unknown abuse survivors, demonstrating success in reaching survivors previously unwilling or unable to come forward and receive help,” a spokesperson for the program said in a statement.
The Colorado Sun reports that the claims process is closed, and any remaining pending claims should be resolved within the next few months.
Colorado’s Independent Reconciliation and Reparations Program
The reparations program stemmed from an investigation into abusive priests in Colorado that reportedly revealed that at least 43 priests abused hundreds of children since 1950. The months-long investigation also revealed that it generally took decades for the Catholic Church to take action to stop a priest who was accused of sexually abusing a child, according to the Colorado Sun.
The program reportedly allowed survivors of child sex abuse by Colorado priests to make a claim that would be reviewed by an Independent Oversight Committee.
“In Colorado, we developed a unique, collaborative, and transparent program to address sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests,” stated Colorado’s Attorney General in a press release at the time. “For those victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests, this effort will aim to provide a recognition of past wrongdoing, provide needed compensation, and offer an opportunity for healing”
In the wake of the recent announcement that Colorado Catholic dioceses will payout millions under the program, Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila issued a letter to the archdioceses.
“I know that money cannot fully heal the wounds you suffered but hope that those of you who came forward felt heard, acknowledged — and that the reparations offer a measure of justice and access to resources,” stated the letter.
Aquila also noted that the claims submitted over the past year concerned allegations of abuse that occurred over two decades ago. The archbishop also stated that, although the claims process had ended, the church continues to offer services to victims.
The reparations program, said Aquila in his letter, “continues to remind us that we can never be complacent, that evil lurks in all corners of our society, and that we must always work to stamp out those who wish to do harm and violate the trust of our children. This work has undoubtedly reaffirmed our resolve to do everything we can to protect children in our church and beyond.”
Should Survivors File a Claim?
While compensating survivors of sexual abuse by priests is laudable, some critics say that reparations programs are problematic. Survivors may be able to obtain more compensation if they pursue legal action than under some of these compensation programs; however, participation in these programs often requires survivors to give up their right to file a lawsuit.
Additionally, some states have revised their sexual abuse laws, giving those who were abused as children additional time to file lawsuits against the perpetrator, as well as the institutions that failed to protect them as children.
Join a Free Catholic Sex Abuse Lawsuit Investigation
If you or a loved one was the victim of sex abuse by a Catholic priest or other church leader, legal help is available.
Fill out the form on this page for more information.
Various Trademarks held by their respective owners
This website is not intended for viewing or usage by European Union citizens.
Get Help – It’s Free
Fill Out the Form Below to Join a Free Catholic Sex Abuse Lawsuit Investigation
If you qualify, an attorney will contact you to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you.
PLEASE NOTE: If you want to participate in this investigation, it is imperative that you reply to the law firm if they call or email you. Failing to do so may result in you not getting signed up as a client or getting you dropped as a client.
Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement
administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source
that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements,
drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class
Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the
status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the
settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding
your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are
expected to be mailed out.
We use cookies to improve functionality and performance, enhance user experience, and provide tailored content. Click Accept if you consent. Click Change Settings if you want to tailor the use of your cookies.
Accept
Read more
Change Settings
Cookie Box Settings
Cookie Box Settings
Privacy settings
Decide which cookies you want to allow.
You can change these settings at any time. However, this can result in some functions no longer being available. For information on deleting the cookies, please consult your browser’s help function.
Learn more about the cookies we use.
With the slider, you can enable or disable different types of cookies:
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
This website won't:
Remember your login details
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
Advertising: Tailor information and advertising to your interests based on e.g. the content you have visited before
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
This website won't:
Remember your login details
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
Advertising: Tailor information and advertising to your interests based on e.g. the content you have visited before
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
This website won't:
Remember your login details
Advertising: Use information for tailored advertising with third parties
Advertising: Allow you to connect to social sites
Advertising: Identify device you are using
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
Advertising: Use information for tailored advertising with third parties
Advertising: Allow you to connect to social sites
Advertising: Identify device you are using
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location