The Orange diocese of the Catholic Church in Southern California had its settlement agreement over sexual abuse by clergy unsealed by a California judge yesterday. The amount of the settlement is a record $100 million and it took more than two years to reach the agreement.

The agreement is the highest settlement payout ever by the church in a sex abuse scandal. The previous record was held by the Boston Archdiocese which paid out $85 million in 2002.

The settlement ends approximately 90 lawsuits including actions against 31 priests and two nuns. The oldest case of alleged abuse dated back to 1936, the most recent 1996.

Bishop Tod D. Brown held a news conference after the settlement was announced and unsealed. 'Let this be what everyone remembers from today: that nothing is more important than the protection of our children and our youth,' Brown announced. 'I seek their forgiveness, I hope for reconciliation and I know that they have now begun their healing process.'

The amount given to each plaintiff will remain confidential. They were determined by the length of the abuse and the severity of the injuries suffered. The payout will half paid by the diocese itself and half of it will be paid by eight insurance companies that insured the diocese. 500 lawsuits against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles remain pending.