(The Center Square) — The Archdiocese of New York has agreed to an $800 million settlement to resolve claims of people who said they were sexually abused as children by Catholic priests and staff members.

The agreement, announced Saturday by Archbishop Ronald Hicks, will provide compensation to about 1,300 parishioners who were sexually abused over several decades once a federal judge signs off on the agreement, ending more than seven years of legal challenges.

"The unanimous agreement of survivors who filed claims against the Archdiocese of New York marks a powerful moment in the pursuit of justice," Jeff Anderson, an attorney representing victims in New York, said in a statement. "Through their courage, sacrifice, and determination, survivors have helped bring about a reckoning and a meaningful step toward accountability."

In an email to clergy, Hicks said the church has made progress resolving the claims and said the settlement, once finalized, will "bring some measure of healing and reconciliation to all victim-survivors."

"This agreement will also allow the archdiocese to turn its full attention once again to its mission of preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, caring for the poor and needy, welcoming the stranger, and educating our children," he wrote.

A 2019 New York law authorized survivors of child sexual abuse to file lawsuits against their abusers and institutions that shielded them from prosecution until they turn 55 years old. Hundreds of lawsuits filed under the law have focused on abuse by Catholic priests and church members.

The New York settlement would be the latest to resolve claims that for decades the church shielded clergy and staff who were accused by victims of sexually abusing them when they were minors.

Last year, a federal bankruptcy judge approved the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans’ proposal to pay $230 million to about 600 survivors. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed in 2024 to pay $880 million to 1,000 survivors, while the Archdiocese of San Francisco approved a $395 million deal to settle more than 500 lawsuits filed over clergy abuse.

More than 40 other Catholic institutions have filed for bankruptcy protection as they struggle to pay settlements with victims to resolve prior clergy abuse complaints, according to data compiled by Penn State University’s law school.