For Immediate Release: March 30, 2026

On March 27, 2026, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany announced that it will pay $148 million to approximately 440 survivors who were sexually abused by clergy, religious, lay employees, and volunteers of the Diocese. The newly formed Abuse Survivors Coalition (ASC) is responding to this announcement.

The ASC hopes that Albany Bishop Mark O'Connell is true to his pledge to “work diligently to prevent anything like this from occurring again.” In the meantime, the group will remain watchful and offer peer-to-peer support for those abused in the Diocese and elsewhere.

Myra Russell, who is among the founders of ASC, as well as one of the 440 survivors, told NEWS10 on Friday that the settlement “doesn’t erase the harm that’s been caused, but she wants to let other survivors know they aren’t alone. … ‘You’ll never be alone, as long as you keep reaching out for help.’”

The ASC provides contact information for peer support by state or country, as well as “On Call for you” contacts. Their website also provides information about peer-to-peer support meetings. Myra is one of ASC’s New York contacts. She also runs a weekly support meeting for women survivors.

CONTACT: Myra Russell, ASC NY (russellmyra@outlook.com, 518-982-9844 (texts only), Mary McKenna, ASC NY (rruby22@aol.com, 917-805-4180), Mary Jo Briggs, ASC NY (maryjobriggsaustin@gmail.com)

(The Abuse Survivors Coalition -- ASC -- is a survivor‑led, peer‑run organization dedicated to supporting individuals affected by abuse and to advocating for accountability within institutions where abuse has occurred. ASC is informed by decades of collective experience in survivor support, advocacy, and public education. Our focus is on peer-to-peer support, sharing information about available survivor resources, and engaging in advocacy efforts centered on survivor‑led principles. Our website is AScoaliton.org.)

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