L.A. Now Live: Discuss latest L.A. Archdiocese priest abuse settlement

Join Times staff writer Victoria Kim for a discussion at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday on what officials say is the Los Angeles Archdiocese’s final settlement of its pending priest molestation lawsuits.

A decade of wrenching abuse litigation has cost the Catholic Church more than $740 million.

What is supposed to be the final settlement was reached last week with 17 victims for $13 million. That trial would have been about the alleged acts of Father Nicolas Aguilar-Rivera, a visiting cleric from Mexico who police believe molested more than two dozen boys over nine months in 1987.

During the chat, Kim can answer questions about how each of the settlements broke down, whether this is indeed the end of litigation and what’s ahead, both for victims and their families, as well as the religious institution itself.

Feel free to submit questions and comments via Twitter to moderator @aribloomekatz before or during the 12:30 p.m. chat, or submit them directly through the L.A. Times home page.