If you were sexually abused as a child by a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan wants to give you money. He announced a settlement program this month that will be run by an independent mediator, Kenneth Feinberg. It will review claims and decide on an amount, which church officials will not be able to alter or reject. The settlements will not be capped; the archdiocese has promised to pay whatever it takes, by selling assets or borrowing.

“There are strings attached …

“Should survivors take the deal? It depends …

“For many survivors, this program could be a good step forward. But it’s fair for them or anyone else to ask: How will this program help to prevent future abuses, to expose archdiocesan cover-ups, to explain how priests were shielded and survivors silenced? How will it hold accountable both the guilty and the complicit …”

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