San Francisco Archdiocese to pay $395 million settlement

The Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco has agreed in principle to pay $395 million to settle more than 500 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by clergy, a landmark agreement announced on Monday, June 29, 2026. The settlement, tied to the archdiocese’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, would resolve all claims brought under a 2019 California law that temporarily revived decades-old civil cases.

The proposed settlement establishes a trust to compensate approximately 530 survivors, all now adults, for abuse claims spanning 70 years. In addition to the financial payout, the agreement mandates extensive reforms aimed at preventing future abuse and increasing transparency. Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone will be required to write a personal apology letter to each survivor.

Key non-monetary terms include a requirement for the archdiocese to maintain and publicly disclose a comprehensive, updated list of all clergy accused of abuse, along with detailed allegations and investigation outcomes. The archdiocese must also create an independently managed public record documenting its knowledge of abuse allegations and its responses. The settlement prohibits the use of confidentiality...