(NY)
WHEC - NBC News10 [Rochester NY]
July 23, 2025
By Berkeley Brean
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy shared their stories in federal bankruptcy court today with Bishop Salvatore Matano in the gallery listening.
Just before the testimonials, lawyers announced the final part of the settlement – a last insurance company agreed to pay $120 million, raising the total payout to survivors to $246 million.
Everyone who spoke was an adult but they were children when they were abused and many showed photos of themselves before and after the abuse to reinforce it.
Just about every single person talked about lifelong damage.
Broken marriages.
Estranged children.
Substance abuse.
Isolation.
Arrests.
Suicide attempts.
Some talked about belief in God and forgiveness.
The first survivor to speak was Carol Dupre. She said in court “I remember feeling guilty about it. Guilt was the side effect of being a good little Catholic.”
Berkeley Brean, News10NBC: “What was it like to give your testimony?”
Carol Dupre, survivor of church sex abuse: “It was a struggle. I didn’t sleep well last night. So that didn’t help either. I realized I was mad at the diocese.”
The next survivor quoted from the Bible and then said “We survivors are the lambs, the most vulnerable of the flock. You let the wolves into the flock and did nothing.”
He said “By the age of 8 I knew monsters do exist.”
Another survivor said a priest “preyed on our faith and threatened me that he would tell God if I said anything.” By 11 he was an alcoholic.
Berkeley Brean: “What was it like to sit there and listen to other people give their testimony?”
Carol Dupre: “It was probably one of the most painful things I’ve ever been through because everyone was different. I hurt for them. I was like belonging to a club you didn’t want to belong to.”
Brean: “We’re even closer to the end than the last time you and I spoke. And the feeling now is what?”
Dupre: “The feeling now is that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it’s not another train coming at us.”
Brean: “The bishop was in the courtroom. Was it important for survivors that he was there to hear this?”
Dupre: “I don’t think we could have had a meeting like this if he wasn’t there.”
The bishop did not talk today.
One victim said he was abused with his brothers. “My mother had no idea the servant of God was actually a predator.”
Another said the abuse filled his life with doubt, fear and anger. “Dreams of becoming a lawyer or the first black president ended.”
Another apologized to her family. “My children are the love of my life,” she said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be the mother I wanted to be.”
The $246 million settlement breaks down like this: $55 million from the diocese and parishes, $191 million from insurance companies.
One survivor said “This court could award me and all survivors one billion dollars but that will not fix this.” He said “I’m grateful to show my pain in a healthy way. I’m grateful today to be alive. I will be grateful when this is over.”
One victim met his abuser years later and the priest asked for forgiveness. “And guess what,” he said. “I forgave him. Jesus Christ hung on the cross for me. And he forgave a lot of us.”
The votes of the 475 victims get tallied next Tuesday. If the court accepts the vote, the case is over and the payouts will begin. Not everyone will get the same amount but $246 million averages half a million per victim.
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