Bishop Robert Cunningham reflects on how the church has evolved in its handling of child sex abuse. On Dec. Lauren Long llong syracuse. Bishop Robert Cunningham announced the program in February It was initially expected to conclude in the fall, but officials said some victims took additional time to decide whether to accept offers by the IRCP. A total of 88 people applied to the program for compensation.
Program administrators made offers to 85 claimants, and 79 accepted the offers. Victims who took the offers signed releases that prohibit them from filing lawsuits. See Syracuse priests with credible claims of child sex abuse. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse has released a list of priests who faced credible allegations of abuse.
Just four claimants did not respond to their offers, and two victims declined compensation altogether. That includes Kevin Braney, who recently filed a lawsuit against the diocese. Braney and others were only able to sue in New York state after the Legislature passed the Child Victims Act in January, expanding the statute of limitations on child sex abuse cases. In December, the diocese named 57 priests with credible claims of child sex abuse against them.
Feinberg and Biros also oversaw that program. Only people who had reported clergy sex abuse to the diocese prior to the start of the program were allowed to participate, according to the report. Those people were invited by letter to apply. Feinberg and Biros made independent determination as to whether each individual was eligible, and the award amounts. Officials did not provide a range or breakdown of the offers made to individuals.
Administrator Camille Biros and Syracuse Chancellor Danielle Cummings have both declined to answer questions about individual cases or priests. Because the diocese does not have third-party insurance, it creates its own fund to pay for liabilities, including the claims settled through the program. Though the insurance fund is in part made up of revenue collected through parishes , officials said the diocese did not otherwise use donations given to parishes, schools, the annual HOPE appeal, Catholic Restoration Fund, Catholic Charities or other charitable funds to fund the program for victims.
