The Diocese of Camden, New Jersey and the Official Committee of Tort Claimant Creditors (the Survivors’ Committee), which represents the interests of approximately 300 survivors of sexual abuse, have reached a settlement which will provide for the establishment of a substantial trust to compensate survivors of sexual abuse within the Diocese. The trust will be funded with $87.5 million from the Diocese and related Catholic entities over a four-year period. The settlement also includes maintaining or enhancing the protocols for the protection of children, which were first implemented by the Diocese in 2002. The settlement remains subject to Bankruptcy Court approval.
Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan stated: “The Diocese of Camden, New Jersey is pleased that the mediation process has led to a settlement. I want to express my sincere apology to all those who have been affected by sexual abuse in our Diocese. My prayers go out to all survivors of abuse and I pledge my continuing commitment to ensure that this terrible chapter in the history of the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey never happens again.”
Counsel for the Survivors’ Committee, Jeffrey Prol, Esq., added: “The Survivors’ Committee is pleased to have reached a consensual resolution of its disputes with the Diocese and looks forward to facilitating an expeditious distribution to survivors of sexual abuse.”
The settlement will be presented to the Honorable Jerrold N. Poslusny, Jr., United States Bankruptcy Judge in Camden, for consideration. As part of the settlement, all 62 parishes and other Catholic entities will receive releases. Claims against certain insurance carriers that provided insurance to the Diocese will be assigned to the trust for the sole benefit of the survivors.
The Diocese and Survivors’ Committee will seek approval of this settlement by the Bankruptcy Court by early June 2022.
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A letter from Bishop Dennis Sullivan to the faithful regarding the settlement can be found here: https://camdendiocese.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bishop-Sullivans-letter-on-Settlement.pdf
A settlement FAQ can be found here: https://camdendiocese.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FAQs-Diocese-of-Camden-settlement-of-Chapter-11-Reorganization.pdf