BALTIMORE (MD)
WYPR - National Public Radio [Baltimore MD]
July 28, 2026
By Scott Maucione
The Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore and survivors of abuse filing for compensation from the organization are still hundreds of millions of dollars apart in their proposals to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, according to new filings.
Baltimore’s Catholic Church is proposing to pay survivors of abuse about a quarter of a billion dollars in compensation as part of its bankruptcy reorganization plan.
The unsecured creditors are proposing an $873 million payout to the victims of child sexual abuse.
There are currently about 1,000 survivors filing claims for compensation.
They would like to see the archdiocese take into account all of its parishes’ assets, rather than keep them separate.
“From a survivor’s perspective, meaningful financial accountability is important not only to provide fair compensation but also to create sufficient pressure on the Archdiocese to implement lasting reforms and prevent future abuse. A more substantial settlement has the potential to better compensate survivors while encouraging greater institutional accountability and protecting future generations of children,” said Theresa Lancaster, a survivor and lawyer who represents survivors.
If mediations haven’t made progress by the end of September, the court will reconsider whether the bankruptcy will proceed.
If the bankruptcy is thrown out, the survivors will be able to individually sue the church under the Child Victims Act, which could take years.
Much of the money the archdiocese has been willing to pay comes from insurance carriers the church contracted with.
In April, archdiocese insurer The Hartford Group, pledged $100 million to settlement funds.
The archdiocese says it is worth about a quarter of a billion dollars.
The church filed for bankruptcy in the fall of 2023, just days before Maryland’s Child Victims Act, which allowed people to sue the church without a time limit, went into effect.