Portugal's Catholic Church announced on Thursday it will pay a combined €1.6 million (about $1.85 million) in compensation to 57 victims of sexual abuse by clergy members.
Individual payments range from €9,000 to €45,000, depending on each case. The funds come from the Portuguese Episcopal Conference and the Conference of Religious Institutes of Portugal.
Out of 95 compensation claims received, 57 have been approved so far for a total of approximately €1,609,650.
More applications are still under review, meaning the final amount and number of recipients could rise.
The announcement follows a landmark 2023 independent commission report that documented at least 4,815 cases of sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults by Catholic clergy in Portugal over the past 70 years.
In a joint statement, Church leaders expressed deep remorse for the suffering caused, thanked victims for coming forward, and renewed their plea for forgiveness.
They stressed that "nothing can erase the pain endured" and that financial compensation cannot fully undo the harm.
The payments form part of the Church’s ongoing response to the abuse scandal, alongside efforts to improve prevention and support for survivors.
Critics have pointed out that the total sum is relatively modest given the scale of the documented cases.
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