Brooklyn, February 12, 2026 — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn intends to settle approximately 1,100 lawsuits alleging child sex abuse by priests and church staff, a sweeping move that could bring a measure of closure to decades of pain. The diocese has already paid over $100 million to more than 500 victims.
Settlement Aims to Resolve Claims, But Skepticism Remains
The diocese hopes to avoid lengthy and emotionally draining trials, but some victim-survivors and their advocates are questioning the fairness of the proposed compensation program.
- The Diocese of Brooklyn is seeking to resolve 1,100 outstanding lawsuits related to alleged child sexual abuse.
- Over $100 million has already been paid to more than 500 victims.
- The diocese plans to fund future settlements through cost-cutting measures, insurance, and the sale of real estate, not parish donations.
- Some victim-survivors and their attorneys express doubt about the fairness of the proposed settlement process.
“There’s no fair way to resolve these things,” said Sabrina Cools, of St. Albans. “So a little bit of compensation for what people have been through, it always helps.”
Mitchell Garabedian, an attorney who has settled thousands of clergy sex abuse cases, currently represents 25 victim-survivors with claims against the Brooklyn Diocese. He voiced concerns about the proposed settlement. “My clients are skeptical, understandably, they don’t trust the diocese,” Garabedian said. “Is the compensation program going to be fair? Is it going to provide validation?”
Bishop Robert J. Brennan, in a letter to the faithful, stated the diocese “will endeavor to resolve expeditiously, all meritorious claims and to avoid the time expense and emotional strain for victim survivors that would be caused by individual trials.” He added that the diocese continues to pray for victim-survivors, their families, and all impacted by sexual abuse as the resolution process moves forward.
Avoiding protracted legal battles is a key benefit, particularly as both victim-survivors and alleged perpetrators age, with some no longer living.
Nahid A. Shaikh, a plaintiffs attorney with Jeff Anderson & Associates, said in a statement that “mediation suggests the Church understands that fighting survivors in court is neither morally defensible nor sustainable.”
To finance future settlements, the diocese intends to implement cost-cutting measures, utilize insurance funds, and sell real estate. Officials emphasized that donations and parish offerings will not be used to cover settlement costs.
The announcement of the settlement coincides with the closure of several Catholic schools, though the diocese maintains the two events are unrelated. School closures are attributed to declining enrollment, but the diocese indicated that assets from the schools may be monetized through sales or leases.
“You can’t change what happened,” Cools said. “But you know it’s a start.”
Garabedian remained cautious. “We don’t know if the settlement program is going to work. It may work for some victim survivors, and it may not for others. Let’s see what happens,” he said.
