BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Nearly 900 survivors of clergy abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo will soon receive ballots to vote on a $362 million settlement that has been years in the making.
Bankruptcy Judge Carl Bucki finalized an amended settlement in federal court late last week. The diocese is expected to mail ballots to survivors by Friday.
"There's a great sense of relief that it is coming to an end," attorney Steve Boyd said.
Boyd represents 380 area survivors.
The settlement totals $362 million, with $150 million coming from the diocese and $176 million from insurance carriers.
"They went back and worked on it back and forth until it got to the point where the judge ruled that it was sufficient. It did have enough information for the people to vote," Boyd said. "And then I think the hope and the expectation is that the people are going to vote for the plan because it's been, you know, six years."
Michael Whalen was one of the first survivors to publicly share his abuse story in 2018.
"Here we are ready to line up and take a vote. So hopefully, within coming days here, we'll get the ballots and people will vote, and hopefully, this thing will come to an end soon," Whalen said. "It's a long time coming."
Whalen told me although the priest who abused him is now dead, this final brings some closure to his abuse case.
"With this, it's some kind of justice. If you can't put the person in prison, and there's a lot of them that should be going to prison," Whalen said.
Once ballots are received, survivors have 60 days to return them. A confirmation hearing will then be held.
"There's going to be a hearing in October for the judge to take up any objections that come in, that's part of the confirmation process and then there's going to be another confirmation hearing. I think the judge's idea is let's hammer out any issues ahead of time so that we can go to this other confirmation hearing, and then hopefully that would be the end of the case," Boyd said.
Boyd said a 2026 resolution appears likely, with some payments potentially beginning in January.
WATCH: Clergy abuse survivors in Buffalo Diocese finally to vote on settlement
"It looks like we're getting it done, you know, in the next several months," Boyd said.
"I believe in my heart that we will get the majority of the votes that are needed to pass this," Whalen said.
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