Pope Accepts Resignation of New Orleans Archbishop Following Abuse Scandal
Pope Leo XIV has formally accepted the resignation of Gregory Aymond, the Roman Catholic archbishop of New Orleans, marking a significant development in the city's long-running clergy molestation scandal. The Vatican confirmed Aymond's exit on Wednesday, one day after he concluded a series of meetings with abuse survivors as part of a settlement agreement.
Background and Resignation Process
Archbishop Aymond submitted his resignation to Vatican leaders in November 2024 upon turning 75, as required by church law. However, the Vatican delayed acceptance to allow him to remain in position until the New Orleans archdiocese resolved a federal bankruptcy protection case. This case was filed in spring 2020 amid the global clerical abuse crisis fallout.
In December 2024, the archdiocese and its insurers agreed to a $305 million settlement with approximately 600 abuse survivors. A non-monetary term mandated Aymond to meet with groups of survivors, which he did daily from 6 February through Tuesday in the New Orleans area.
Successor and Statements
James Checchio, the former bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey, has been appointed as Aymond's successor. Checchio had been administering alongside Aymond in New Orleans prior to taking over. In a statement, Checchio noted how quickly the months since his arrival passed as he sought to understand the region and serve its roughly 500,000 Catholics.
Neither the US Catholic Conference of Bishops nor the New Orleans archdiocese included remarks from Aymond in their announcements. However, Aymond told WWL Louisiana, a Guardian reporting partner, that he wanted to hear survivors out and "personally bring that to prayer" before his resignation was accepted.
Bankruptcy and Legal Developments
Aymond, who became archbishop in 2009 after serving as bishop of Austin, Texas, initially believed the bankruptcy proceeding could be resolved for about $7 million, including victim compensation. However, costs escalated dramatically after a 2021 campaign led Louisiana's state legislature to remove a prohibition against survivors of historical molestation pursuing civil damages. The state's supreme court upheld this law as constitutional in June 2024.
Investigations and Abuse Revelations
During the bankruptcy, the Guardian and WWL Louisiana exposed how four successive New Orleans archbishops, including Aymond, provided safe harbor to Lawrence Hecker, a retired priest and serial child molester, for decades. Hecker was charged after this reporting, pleaded guilty to child rape in December 2024, and died in prison at age 93.
Police statements filed in New Orleans' criminal courthouse indicate that the investigation into Hecker expanded to examine whether the archdiocese operated a child sex-trafficking ring involving widespread abuse of minors dating back decades, which was allegedly concealed and not reported to authorities. At the time of Aymond's resignation, none of Hecker's superiors had been charged in the case.
Broader Context
The New Orleans archdiocese, the second-oldest of its kind in the US, is among over 40 Catholic groups in the country to file for federal bankruptcy protection due to the clergy abuse scandal. According to Pennsylvania State University's law school, it is one of 29 to have paid to settle such a case, highlighting the ongoing financial and ethical challenges facing the church.
