NORWICH (CT)
CT Insider [Norwalk CT]
February 14, 2025
By Liz Hardaway
The Diocese of Norwich has reached a $31 million settlement with survivors of sexual abuse, according to a joint statement issued Friday from those involved in the agreement.
The agreement came after five days of mediation. It includes a “Plan of Reorganization to enable the Diocese and others to provide a meaningful recovery to survivors of sexual abuse and for the Diocese to emerge from bankruptcy and continue its mission,” the joint statement reads.
The plan was filed Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Hartford, according to the joint statement. If approved, the plan would create independent trusts that would oversee the distribution of funds to eligible survivors.
The joint statement was issued by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich; the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, which represents the sexual abuse victims; the Association of Parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich; and Catholic Mutual Relief Society of America.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich filed a petition seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021. At the time, it was facing nearly 60 lawsuits pertaining to alleged sexual abuse that occurred at the Mount Saint John School in Deep River.
Attorney Kelly E. Reardon, of The Reardon Law Firm, P.C., said that when a party files for bankruptcy, it bars someone from filing a lawsuit against them. The court then set up a plan for individuals who believed they were entitled to compensation from the diocese for sexual abuse to file claims.
Ultimately, there were about 150 people who filed claims alleging sexual abuse by clergy members and other church officials, Reardon said. About half of those claimants said their abuse occurred at the Deep River school.
The Norwich Diocese, established in 1953, oversees churches in Middlesex, New London, Tolland and Windham counties in Connecticut, as well as Fishers Island, which is part of Suffolk County in New York, according to its website. On Thursday, Pope Francis appointed Monsignor Richard F. Reidy as its sixth bishop.
Representatives of the sexual abuse survivors support the plan, according to the statement.
“While no amount of compensation can undo the harm that has been done, this settlement fund represents a meaningful and substantial step toward justice and healing for survivors,” said Stephen Kindseth of Zeisler & Zeisler, P.C., counsel for the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors. “We fought hard to maximize compensation for the survivors and believe that this plan accomplishes that goal.”
Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne, the archbishop of Hartford who has been serving as the diocese’s apostolic administrator since September, said he believed the plan would address the needs of survivors.
“The deep pain and suffering endured by survivors can never be healed by financial compensation, but we are committed to making some amends through this process,” he said.
The $31 million compensation plan will draw from multiple sources, according to the statement.
A hearing on the court’s approval of the plan is expected to be held this spring. The hearing on the disclosure statement that describes and accompanies the plan of reorganization is scheduled for March 12 and 13, according to the joint statement.
Though this is a large step forward, there still are additional steps until everything is resolved, Reardon said.
If the plan were to be approved, the claimants would get to vote on whether to accept the plan. Then, if enough people were to vote in favor, the plan would go back to the court and a judge would need to confirm it, or put the plan into effect and the trusts would be created, according to Reardon.
For Reardon’s 34 clients in the case, this has been a difficult process, she said.
“No amount of money would ever be able to right the wrong that occurred in their lives,” she said. As their lawyer, she felt this was a satisfactory resolution, and would let them obtain “a fair amount of compensation in light of a lot of difficult circumstances and a complex bankruptcy case that will hopefully permit them to move forward with their lives.”
“I think from the perspective of my clients, they’re relived to know that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” she added.