America’s most populous Roman Catholic archdiocese was in shock today at the resignation of a bishop who has admitted fathering two children.

The head of a US Catholic order that specialised in the treatment of paedophile priests visited Pope Paul VI nearly 50 years ago and followed up with a letter recommending their removal from ministry, it has emerged.

Cardinal Roger Mahony, leader of America’s largest Roman Catholic archdiocese, apologised to the hundreds of people who will get a share of a €488m settlement over allegations of clergy sex abuse.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles will settle its clergy abuse cases for at least €440m, by far the largest payout in the church’s sexual abuse scandal, it is reported.

America’s largest Roman Catholic archdiocese is to pay out $60m to settle 45 sex abuse cases.