The agreement, finalized last week, will be administered by an independent panel that will assess each claim’s severity and supporting evidence.
The panel will consider factors such as the abuse’s duration, the survivor’s current health, and documented evidence.
The settlement follows the 2019 Child Victims Act, which temporarily lifted the statute of limitations on historical abuse cases and opened the floodgates for civil claims across the state.
Archbishop Timothy Dolan said the Church will release previously withheld internal records and maintain updated public registries to prevent future cover‑ups.
Final signatures and federal court approval will enable the first disbursements, expected within the next three months; survivors such as Maria Sanchez hope the funds will pay for therapy and medical bills.