The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish says he remains committed to helping everyone "genuinely victimized" by sexual abuse.

Bishop Raymond Lahey issued a statement Wednesday, following the launch of a class-action lawsuit by people claiming they were sexually abused by priests in the diocese over several decades.

"The victims deserve a fair hearing and fair treatment," Lahey said.

"While we must sort through the complexities of this new class-action litigation, we are committed to providing compassion, compensation and counselling to these victims."

He said the diocese, in consultation with these victims, would organize a service to help them heal, and deliver a formal apology.

Lahey said claimants who want to avoid court can go through a settlement process. They can also get psychological counselling through the diocese, he added.

But Lahey said he respects the decision of those who chose to join the class-action suit.

"While we regret that this matter will now involve somewhat complex court proceedings new to Nova Scotia, our door remains open to explore all avenues of resolution and closure for people who have been genuinely victimized," he said.

The suit was initiated by a New Waterford man who claims he was sexually abused by a parish priest when he was a boy.

Ron Martin's brother, David, made a similar claim in a suicide note in 2002.

RCMP later charged former priest Hugh Vincent MacDonald with sex crimes dating back to the 1960s and 1970s. MacDonald, 81, died in 2004 before the case went to court.

Over the years, three priests in the diocese have been convicted for sexually abusing children.

In his statement, Lahey said the diocese acknowledges that sexual abuse did occur with certain priests.

The lawsuit claims that the Roman Catholic Church, under instructions from the Pope, had a policy to keep sex-abuse allegations against priests secret, with ex-communication as the penalty.

The suit claims the church, diocese and bishop sent priests from the Antigonish diocese for treatment for "sexual deviations," but kept it secret and didn't protect children.

The lawyers behind the suit say this is the first class action in Nova Scotia filed under the new Class Proceedings Act.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish covers all of Cape Breton Island and three counties on the mainland in northeast Nova Scotia.