Church Abuse Victims Learn Settlement Amounts

A group of more than 500 people who accused priests (search) in the Boston Archdiocese (search) of abuse began learning Saturday how much they will receive under an $85 million settlement with the church.

Arbitrators finished their deliberations Friday, and lawyer Mitchell Garabedian said he received a breakdown of the awards for his clients from church attorney Thomas Hannigan Jr. on Saturday morning. The lawyers began telling their clients Saturday.

"It's a bittersweet process," Garabedian said. "Some clients are happy, some are not happy."

The recipients were expected to receive $80,000 to $300,000 each under the agreement. Only about 10 of 552 alleged victims have elected to press on with lawsuits (search).

The Rev. Christopher Coyne, a spokesman for the archdiocese, said the checks would be made out on Monday.

The church also has agreed to about $4 million in settlements with other victims. It has announced that it will sell church property to help pay the settlements.

Arbitrators had spent the last two months meeting with the victims. The awards aim to reflect the type and severity of abuse and psychological harm.