WDSU News journalists Erin Lowrey and Lena Folke report Archdiocese of New Orleans adds more clergy to credibly accused abuse list amid $300M bankruptcy settlement.
In a recent letter, Archbishop James Checchio stated that updating the list is part of the Archdiocese’s commitment to transparency under its settlement with sex abuse survivors. Checchio maintained that no individuals with substantiated claims of abuse remain in service within the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
Here’s part of Checchio’s letter:
“As was agreed to during the recent bankruptcy, today we are publishing the names of archdiocesan clergy that are accused of child sexual abuse. This update contains the names of clergy, all of whom are deceased, who were accused of sexual abuse, and after the allegations have been reviewed, it has been determined that there is sufficient information to make their accusation public.”
“We are also adding a number of clergy who were never formally assigned here, who are included on a list of accused in their home diocese or religious order, and were accused in the bankruptcy of abusing a survivor in the archdiocese. It is our hope that by including them on our local list, it will be a tangible acknowledgement of the suffering endured by survivors.”
The Archdiocese has updated its official report on clergy abuse to include the following individuals, all of whom are now deceased:
Sebastian Arjonilla
Henry Bezou
Patrick Cunningham
Joseph DeWater
Earl Gauthreaux
Paul Hart
Joseph Luminais
Benjamin Piovan
Gerard Poche
Paul Richard
The following non-local clergy names have been added to the Archdiocese’s abuse report. They were cited in the bankruptcy case and are already publicly listed by another diocese or religious order.
Joseph Sebastian Angers, O.P.
Donald Dickerson, S.J.
Warren Discon, C.M.
Ronald Fontenot
Gilbert Gauthe
Gerard Hayes
Rodney Howell
George Landry
Etienne LeBlanc
Arthur Maurer, S.S.J.
Robert Melancon
Louis Meteye, C.M.
Thomas Naughton, S.J.
Austin Park, S.J.
Joseph Thang Pham
Sean Rooney, S.D.B.
Leger Tremblay, J.C.
