The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $880m (£676m) to victims of clergy sexual abuse in what is being called the largest single settlement of its kind involving a Catholic archdiocese.

This agreement, announced on Wednesday 16th October, comes after decades of abuse allegations and marks a significant resolution in a series of legal battles that have spanned over 25 years.

Archbishop José H Gomez issued a statement, seen by The Washington Times: “I am truly sorry for each and every incident of abuse. My hope is that this settlement will provide some measure of healing for the men and women who have suffered.”

He emphasised that the resolution aims to offer fair compensation to the survivors, acknowledging the profound harm they endured.

According to the outlet, the settlement was reached after months of negotiations between attorneys representing 1,353 individuals and the archdiocese.

These individuals had long accused local Catholic priests of serious abuse, with many of them remaining silent for years.

According to a joint statement from the Plaintiffs' Liaison Committee: “While no amount of money can ever replace what was taken from these brave survivors, this settlement represents a measure of justice and accountability.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the archdiocese will not participate in the distribution of the funds. Instead, a separate process will be established to allocate the settlement money among the victims.

This payout adds to the $740m (£568m) the archdiocese has already paid to victims in previous settlements, bringing the total compensation to over $1.5bn (£1,152bn).

Morgan Stewart, the attorney who led the negotiations, stated that the settlement is the largest of its kind involving child sexual abuse and a Catholic archdiocese. He noted that many of the survivors have endured the trauma for decades, with some having already passed away.

“It was time to get this resolved,” Stewart told the Los Angeles Times.