Ray Boucher Speaks in $660 Million Clergy Abuse Settlement

July 16, 2007

Host: We are breaking a story out of Los Angeles. This is just outside the Los Angeles Courthouse. A judge has just approved the landmark settlement in the clergy abuse lawsuit. The Catholic Archdiocese will pay more than $600 million.

Ray Boucher: Far more important than the money though, is a critical term of this settlement provides for transparency, for sunshine, and for the release of confidential files and personnel records of the priests that were involved in molesting so many children over the last five or so decades. It was the threat of these jury trials and the opening of this civil justice system to these victims that made this possible. The resolution of the settlement today is an acknowledgement to them by the Catholic Church that they did not wrong; that it was not their fault; that it was the fault of the despicable, evil man, that did despicables, evil things to them; and that their lives will forever be changed. Their youth was stolen from them and the Church failed to take steps, appropriate steps, and in many cases, any step to protect these children and often, instead, protected the priests and their own.

This is a historic day, because it is a recognition to them that what happened to them was wrong, the human damages they have suffered are incalculable, and it is time now, through this process, to begin healing and reconciliation.