N.L. court approves 1st payment of $22M for abuse survivors

Hundreds of people who endured abuse by priests and Christian Brothers on the Avalon and Burin peninsulas decades ago will receive a portion of their claim against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John's later this month.

Justice Garrett Handrigan of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador approved what's called an interim distribution of roughly $22 million to about 300 victims whose claims have been approved through a months-long claims verification process.

The amount is a fraction of the $105-million settlement awarded to victims in July, and there are no guarantees that the entire amount will ever be raised, said Geoff Budden, who represents roughly 200 abuse victims.

"We are optimistic that we will get there, but no, there is noguarantee," Budden told CBC News on Tuesday.

For nearly three years, the archdiocese has been in court-approved bankruptcy protection as it sells off vast amounts of assets, including churches, parish halls, rectories and vacant land.

Through that process, roughly $40 million has been set aside in a trust account, and about $3.5-million worth of property is yet to be sold.

Lawyers for the victims are hopeful that two insurance policies will fetch a substantial sum, with court hearings scheduled for later this fall, and Buddenhinted at "other defendants or potential defendants" as another source of money.

"That is how the gap will be closed if it is to be completely closed by availing ofthese other resources," said Budden.

Victims are elderly

Budden said all sides in the insolvency process felt it was time to make a payment to the victims, since most are quite elderly, and many have died.

WATCH | Settlement money is finally being paid to abuse survivors, says lawyer Geoff Budden:

Why people who survived abuse by priests are finally seeing some of the money theyre owed

10 days ago

Duration 0:46

While the total settlement awarded to survivors of abuse suffered at the hands of priests and Christian Brothers is $105 million, an N.L. Supreme Court judge approved paying out a portion of that now. Lawyer Geoff Budden tells CBCs Terry Roberts why getting some money to victims is so important, even if they deserve the full settlement.

The average award is roughly $400,000, meaningclaimants will receive an average payment of about $82,000, minus legal fees and others expenses, or 21 per cent of their total award.

Claimaints will receive cheques at the end of this month.

"In some ways there's no good news here. I mean, it's a tragedy, a tragedy for the survivors, a tragedy for the parishioners, for everybody associated with it. However, it's a resolution. It's thefirst money some of these men have received, the first financial compensation out of the abuse they suffered. And for some, it's been a very long time coming," said Budden.

About 15 per cent of the claimants are deceased, and their estates will receive cash awards once all the documentation, including death certificates and last wills and testaments, are verified.

"I'm pleased for my clients thatwe've taken this step," said Budden.

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