Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 26, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 26, 2026
Add as preferred source on GooglePortugal’s Catholic Church has agreed to pay €1.6 million (about $1.85 million) in compensation to 57 victims of clergy sexual abuse, part of a broader reckoning following a 2023 independent inquiry that identified at least 4,815 victims over 70 years.
LISBON, March 26 (Reuters) - Portugal's Catholic Church said on Thursday it would pay a combined 1.6 million euros ($1.85 million) in compensation to 57 victims of sexual abuse by the clergy.
A Church-funded commission found in February 2023 that at least 4,815 children and vulnerable adults in Portugal were sexually abused by the Catholic clergy, mostly priests, over the past 70 years.
"Financial compensation does not erase what happened or undo the consequences of abuse in the lives of those affected... We renew our apology for all the harm caused," the Portuguese Bishops' Conference (CEP) said in a statement.
CEP said only 95 people requested compensation during the submission period, with 67 eligible and the remainder dismissed for failing to meet requirements or attend the commission.
The CEP said 57 compensation claims had already been approved, with payments ranging from 9,000 euros to 45,000 euros per person.
Nine other claims are still undergoing final review to determine the amount of compensation, it said.
($1 = 0.8666 euros)
(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; editing by Charlie Devereux)
The Catholic Church will pay 1.6 million euros ($1.85 million) to 57 victims of sexual abuse.
At least 4,815 children and vulnerable adults were reported as victims of sexual abuse by clergy over 70 years.
Approved claims will receive compensation ranging from 9,000 euros to 45,000 euros per person.
57 compensation claims have been approved, with 9 others undergoing final review.
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