Pittsburgh Diocese Compensation Program

Pittsburgh Diocese – Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program

On December 13, 2018, the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh announced the launch of its “Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program for Claims of Clergy Sexual Abuse of Minors” (the “IRCP”). The IRCP is intended “to compensate victims of clergy sexual abuse of minors by clergy of the Diocese.”

The IRCP is a voluntary compensation program. No one is required to participate. Importantly, the submission of a claim does not obligate the claimant to accept an offer of compensation, if any, that may be made by the IRCP. If an offer of compensation is made by the IRCP and accepted by the claimant, the claimant will be required to sign a Release.

Following is a summary of the IRCP:

• The IRRP became effective January 22, 2019.
• Only claims of sexual abuse of minors perpetrated by clergy of the Pittsburgh Diocese are eligible.
• Claimants who have not previously reported a claim to the Pittsburgh Diocese must REGISTER WITH IRCP on or before July 31, 2019.
• A claim package will then be issued and, to be considered, a claim must be submitted by September 30, 2019.
• To register, a claimant or his/her attorney will provide:
  • The claimant’s name
  • Contact information
  • A description of the claim that includes dates and locations of the abuse and the name of the perpetrator
• Privacy considerations: According to the IRRP Protocol, “…information submitted by a Claimant and the Diocese ...will be used and disclosed only for the following purposes:”
  • Processing the Claimant’s claim, including procedures for payment.
  • Administering the Program.
  • Program-related work, including internal investigations, by the Diocese and its designees.
  • Reports to law enforcement.
  • The protection of children under the Diocese’s Safe Environment Program.
  • To protect the privacy of Claimants that participate in the IRCP, one year after the conclusion of the Program all personal information provided by the Claimant during this process will be destroyed, except to the extent otherwise required by law.
  • All confidentiality requirements are subject to law, regulation, and judicial process.



Sources

IRCP Protocol at Page 7.