LA Archdiocese finalizes abuse settlement in court

LOS ANGELES, July 16 (Reuters) As plaintiffs sobbed but Cardinal Roger Mahony sat silently in court, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles and victims of clergy sex abuse today finalized their record 660 million dollars settlement.

Although Mahony publicly apologised after Mass on Sunday to the 508 plaintiffs, several victims voiced frustration that the leader of the largest US Roman Catholic diocese will not have to testify in court.

''For 660 million dollars, he bought himself out of testifying in our case,'' said Steve Sanchez, 47.

The settlement reached Saturday after 4 1/2 years of negotiations came before the first trial was due to begin on Monday. Victims' attorneys would have called Mahony to testify about the church hierarchy's protection of abusive priests.

''If he were sorry, there wouldn't be convicted and admitted pedophile priests still on his payroll today,'' said Lee Bashforth, 37, molested by a priest when he was seven years old.

The church, in which priests take a vow of celibacy, has faced abuse allegations worldwide over the past decade. Victims have alleged that church leaders often knew of the abuse but did not do enough to stop it.

The Los Angeles settlement dwarfs other landmark payouts.

The Archdiocese of Boston, where the US scandal erupted in 2002, reached a 2003 deal for 550 people worth 85 million dollars.

J Michael Hennigan, attorney for the archdiocese, stood up and faced the victims in court and said: ''It is our deep regret that this took so long.'' The victims scoffed at his remark, while Mahony, dressed in a plain black coat and white collar and wearing a crucifix pendant around his neck, sat silently next to him.

Mahony, who has led the archdiocese since 1985, later released a statement saying he will continue to meet privately with victims of abuse.

''I am aware that this day in particular is a day for the victims to speak,'' Mahony said, adding that he will ''spend the remainder of today in prayer for victims.'' 'THE RIGHT RESULT' At least five priests have been convicted of child molestation charges brought by the Los Angeles County District Attorney. A spokeswoman for the attorney's office said criminal investigations continue into other allegations of abuse.

The lawsuit that was to be heard Monday involved a priest who died in 1987, accused of molesting 18 boys.

The archdiocese will pay around 250 million dollars by selling nonessential real estate assets, including the archdiocese's headquarters. The rest will be covered by insurers and various Catholic religious orders.

The archdiocese has committed to paying victims by December 1.

LA County Superior Court Judge Haley J Fromholz called the settlement ''the right result'' because the complexity of the cases would have merited many appeals.

The settlement ends all pending abuse litigation against the archdiocese, although victims' attorneys said there will be cases brought against some individual religious orders that have not settled.

But Erin Brady, 48, abused from eight to 11 years of age, said she felt like she did not have justice.

''Money doesn't make the pain go away,'' she said. ''The man who molested me is still in the ministry.'' Reuters JK VP0205