The Diocese of Camden has agreed to a $180 million settlement to resolve about 300 claims of clergy sexual abuse, Bishop Joseph Williams announced. The agreement incorporates a prior $87.5 million payment and must be approved by a bankruptcy court. The deal follows the diocese’s withdrawal of objections to a state grand jury probe, which the New Jersey Supreme Court allowed to proceed. Survivors and advocates praised the settlement as an important step toward justice and healing.
Diocese of Camden Reaches $180 Million Settlement Over Clergy Abuse Claims
FILE - The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is seen in Camden, N.J., April 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The Diocese of Camden has agreed to a $180 million settlement to resolve roughly 300 claims of clergy sexual abuse, Bishop Joseph Williams announced Tuesday. The agreement, which incorporates an earlier $87.5 million payment from 2022, must still be approved by a bankruptcy court.
Settlement and Reaction
In a letter to the faithful, Bishop Williams described the agreement as a long-overdue milestone for survivors. “For the survivors of South Jersey, this day is long overdue and represents a milestone in their journey toward restored justice and the healing and recognition they have long sought and deserve,” he wrote.
“This settlement and this bishop have acted very differently,” said Mark Crawford, state director of the Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests, praising the bishop’s engagement and promise of transparency.
Context and Legal Background
The settlement follows the diocese’s recent withdrawal of its objection to New Jersey’s grand jury probe into decades of alleged sexual abuse by clergy—an investigation that the New Jersey Supreme Court has allowed to proceed. Camden, like many U.S. dioceses, filed for bankruptcy amid a wave of lawsuits after state lawmakers relaxed statutes of limitation.
Attorneys for victims say the new agreement includes the funds previously pledged in 2022 and reflects years of persistent legal efforts by survivors and their counsel. Greg Gianforcaro, an attorney representing victims, described the process as “an extremely long and arduous battle.”
How This Settlement Compares
The $180 million settlement exceeds recent payouts in Boston and Philadelphia (each roughly in the $80 million range) but is smaller than some California settlements; for example, the Los Angeles Archdiocese reached an $880 million agreement in 2024.
Next Steps
- The settlement must be confirmed by the bankruptcy court before funds are distributed.
- The state grand jury investigation into alleged clergy abuse in New Jersey will continue independent of the bankruptcy process.
- Survivors and their attorneys have welcomed the settlement as a step toward accountability and healing.
The Diocese of Camden serves six counties in southern New Jersey, including communities outside Philadelphia.
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