John Caramanno said he was sexually abused by a member of the Catholic Church more than 15 years ago.

He says Monsignor John Paddack, who only recently resigned, molested him at the St Joseph by the Sea school on Staten Island when he was 16 and 17 years old.

Caramanno is now filing one of the dozens of new lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, alleging sexual abuse by members of the clergy.

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"Today is the day of the light, today is the day of the truth, and today is the day I reclaim the trust that was lost," Caramanno said at a news conference.

Caramanno could do this because of a new state law that opened up a one-year, one-time only window Wednesday for sexual abuse victims to sue their abusers and the institutions where they worked, regardless of how long ago the abuse took place.

One law firm alone, Jeff Anderson & Associates, announced 262 lawsuits Wednesday, including 54 against the Archdiocese of New York and 36 against the Diocese of Brooklyn. The claims name more than 150 alleged abusers.

"The law in New York," attorney Jeff Anderson said. "has now created an opportunity for survivors of sexual abuse to take action in a way you never had before."

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Apart from the one-year window to file any claim, the law extends the statute of limitations for sexual abuse lawsuits, giving victims until age 55 to file civil claims and until age 28 to seek criminal charges, compared to age 23 under the old statute.

"People that have been allowed to hide in the darkness and to abuse children are no longer able to," said Bridie Farrell, a sexual abuse survivor and advocate for other survivors.

In a statement, the Archdiocese of New York said, "The Archdiocese of New York has been anticipating the filing of law suits since the Child Victims Act passed earlier this year. While we carefully review the claims made in these suits, we ask that people pray for peace and healing for all those who have suffered from the sin and crime of the sexual abuse of minors."

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A public service ad campaign has been launched to inform survivors about their rights under the Child Victims Act. Some law firms also have been airing commercials, urging abuse victims to come forward while they can.

Breakdown of the lawsuits filed (as of 5 p.m. August 14, according to the Office of Court Administration)

New York state: 427 cases

Outside New York City: 258

New York City total: 169

Manhattan: 94

Brooklyn: 55

Queens: 6

Bronx: 11

Staten Island: 3