EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis). Whatever one thinks of the Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of New York is at least taking visible, concrete steps—selling prime real estate, cutting budgets, and publicly acknowledging wrongdoing—to compensate victims. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese may claim fewer cases, but it continues to avoid this level of transparency or accountability. With years of reported ethical and governance issues already in the public domain, the ongoing silence only deepens mistrust. Transparency should not require lawsuits or media pressure—yet that seems to be the only catalyst.

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source – nypost.com

NY Archdiocese to sell $490M Manhattan property to fund sex abuse settlements

By

Zachary Kussin
Published Dec. 15, 2025, 2:15 p.m. ET
NY Archdiocese says it’s setting up a $300M fund for sexual abuse victims

The Archdiocese of New York will sell the land beneath the luxury Lotte New York Palace hotel to the hotel’s owner for a colossal $490 million — to fund a settlement with survivors of church sex abuse.

News of this deal came mere days after the Archdiocese agreed to negotiate a global settlement to compensate roughly 1,300 people who have accused priests and staff lay members of child sex abuse — adding it would raise $300 million to cover the costs.

A representative for the hotel, at 455 Madison Ave., did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment. The land is among the most valuable pieces of the Archdiocese’s property portfolio.

A portion of this land sale will go to the fund, whereas the remainder would be destined to pay loans taken out for previous settlements. Another $100 million would come from the 2024-announced sale of the former archdiocesan headquarters at 1011 First Ave. That property, at 56th Street on the far East Side, will give way to residences.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan.Stephen Yang
The deal is for the land beneath the iconic hotel, which is among the Archdiocese's most valuable assets.
The deal is for the land beneath the iconic hotel, which is among the Archdiocese’s most valuable assets.David McGlynn
The hotel stands on Madison Avenue on the East Side.
The hotel stands on Madison Avenue on the East Side.David McGlynn

Selling real estate — with other assets including land in upstate New York — is just a portion of raising the funds. The Archdiocese will also lay off staff and reduce its operating budget by 10%.

“As we have repeatedly acknowledged, the sexual abuse of minors long ago has brought shame upon our Church,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan wrote in a public letter released last Monday. “I once again ask forgiveness for the failing of those who betrayed the trust placed in them by failing to provide for the safety of our young people.”

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8 COMMENTS

  1. This was and is not being done altruistically. This is a result of settling legal lawsuits from credible court cases and allegations. The Catholic Church has spent 5 billion dollars or more settling lawsuits. They are the richest institution in the world. The reason they got away with the sexual abuse, assault, and rape of children for decades – most likely centuries – though the 1950s is cited as the time point when the abuses were recorded – is because they are a law unto themselves.

    The Catholic Church was and is more concerned with the “shame” it cast on their church and reputation (as per the article) than the suffering and torment of the children they were abusing, or they would have been protected decades ago.

    This is global. The horrors were not only uncovered in Boston – but in every single state with a Catholic Archdiocese. Notable mentions: Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, New Orleans, San Diego, St. Paul/Minneapolis. Overseas – Europe, Americas, Australia, Asia – notably Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, and on and on and on. Institutional abuse. Aided and abetted by the Catholic Church. Seasoned attorneys in Boston said the files were so horrific on the cases -that it made them physically sick.

    Instead of protecting the “least of these”‘ and reporting criminal acts to the proper authorities – they moved predator priests from parish to parish to protect the “Church” while violating God’s most innocent. All the way up to the Vatican doors. This is the greatest amartia. Not only sinful but unspeakable evil. Demonic acts. Jesus was very clear about the ramifications of hurting children.

    “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones” (Luke 17:2.)

    This is not the time for praise – this is the time to keep moving forward to make sure that no child is ever abused in God’s Holy House by those who have taken a vow to serve Him. There is no transparency nor accountability when the abuse continues. And it is still continuing and being reported.

    Monetary compensation is a step. But if one thinks that selling off property and making payouts will ever erase, wash, or bring justice to the trauma, generational trauma caused by the sins of the Catholic Church then they are sorely misguided. Only God can heal this depth of pain, betrayal, and suffering.

    Also, with all due respect – no one’s tragedy should be used as a talking point nor comparison to speak to any other grievances. This is not about the Orthodox Church. This is about millions of victims – at the hand of a church who was a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15). God have mercy on every child who was victimized and is currently being victimized by the Catholic Church, including two personal friends of mine, who were altar servers as children from the Roman Catholic Philadelphia Archdiocese whose shared stories of their living hell with me when they became adults.

    • Jackie
      What happened at the Catholic church is a product of secrecy, false pride, selfishness and ability to evade punishment. You are correct that it has been happening for centuries. If a child went to his parents and told them that the priest had done unspeakable things to him, the parents would have never believed the child. How can a man of God do such things. In the rare instances where parents complained, they were shut down and ostracized. The victims were the paraiahs.

      Until the story broke through the silence is 2002, beggining in Boston.

      Us, Orthodox should not look down on the Catholics, as if we’re immune to such abuse, because our priests marryy. Our small number of parishes, compared to Catholics, limited the number of such sinful actions. But we have had numerous priests that were accused of abusing minors. Some of them married. The monastery of St Irene Chrysovalantou comes to mind.

      I applaude the Catholic church for having come to terms with its past and its willingness to apologize and make monetary restitution. Our Archdiocese is no where near that point. Secrecy, attempts to supress, demonize and blame the victim are their policy. Trensparency is a foreign word to them. As we speak, they are fighting abuse cases that we have no knowledge of. They sold the property of the Holly Cross school in Boston, for $30 million. No word where that money will be used. I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes to pay lawsuits.

      During the Greek festivals in our area, a vendor was allowed in almost every church, selling merchandise promoting violence, racism and sexual situations, going as far as to use the F word multiple times.. No one cared, the priest or the board, as long as they profited from the rent money.

      I objected to the vile display and they declared war against me. They even got the police to bar me from the church. Its just one example, among many, that if you’re looking to find God in the G.O. church—there are bright exeptions—-you’re wasting your time.

    • Barto is acting upon directives from the globalists. Right now they are in a delusional state and they are hallucinating that they can still dominate humanity… Soon they will crash in a very harsh landing to reality… we should be afraid of this moment.

  3. Barb Karp stated wisely that “our priests marry” ; that is the crucial divide between the Catholics vs Greek Orthodox Christians of traditional rules and regulations within our customs , who represent family values in our communities , there other issues as well , one of repelling
    circumcision. The Hellenes, ((who) a more historically mature and culturally religious people, rejected the Jewish order, on the personal private intervention , as an anomaly of of nature’s physical and psychological well being; by denying the official strict role of unmarried clergy as the Catholics have accepted, and now they are stuck by being on the wrong side of Pervasive History!

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