SYRACUSE (NY)
WSTM-TV/CNYCentral.com - NBC 3 [Syracuse NY]
February 25, 2026
By Matthew Benninger
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse announced that $176.1 million will be going toward survivors of sexual abuse, it announced on Wednesday.
Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of New York Wendy Kinsella approved the diocese’s final decree to get it out of the Chapter 11 reorganization.
The diocese said the$176.1 million will be awarded through an independent arbiter.
Specifically, $76.1 million will be provided by the diocese’s insurance carriers. $100 million will be contributed from the “Catholic Family,” including $45 million parishes, $5 million from other diocesan entities, and $50 million from the diocese itself via investments and loans.
The diocese said that the organization plan will utilize a channeling injunction to ascertain that all the claims against it is resolved through the shared trust fund.
“Words cannot adequately express my feelings and sorrow regarding such heinous behavior,” said Bishop Douglas J. Lucia in a news release. “I again offer my most heartfelt apology to those who have suffered such harm and for any past neglect in addressing it.”
A judge approved the diocese’s plan to exit bankruptcy and send millions of dollars to sexual abuse survivors in August 2025. The diocese originally filed for bankruptcy in June 2020 as it faced a growing number of sexual abuse lawsuits. In all, hundreds of claims have been filed.
Bishop Lucia called the process a “significant burden” for those who filed claims.
The abuse by clergy and others dates back decades. The Diocese of Syracuse said it trained and checked the criminal background of 52,000 people to ensure the safety of everyone the diocese and its ministries.