News Summary
Survivors of clergy abuse in New Orleans intensify their call for accountability as attorneys urge Archbishop Gregory Aymond to testify under oath amidst ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. The Archdiocese has faced scrutiny over financial mismanagement and inadequate compensation for survivors. With the bankruptcy hearings looming, momentum builds for greater transparency and justice for the victims.
New Orleans – Advocacy for survivors of clergy abuse has intensified as a group of attorneys is urging the court to require Archbishop Gregory Aymond to testify under oath. This call for testimony comes in the wake of a recent motion to dismiss the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which has been ongoing for five years.
The motion was submitted on Wednesday, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the initial bankruptcy filing. The costly bankruptcy proceedings have drained around $45 million in legal and professional fees from the archdiocese without providing any compensation to approximately 500 survivors of clergy abuse. In a key development, federal bankruptcy judge Meredith Grabill has summoned the archdiocese to appear in court on June 26 to justify why the bankruptcy should continue.
This motion from the survivors’ attorneys mandates a 30-day deadline for a public hearing on the bankruptcy issue. The attorneys representing these survivors assert that Archbishop Aymond’s deposition is essential and should be conducted between mid and late May. Previously scheduled testimony from Aymond was postponed due to the bankruptcy filing on May 1, 2020.
The argument for dismissal of the bankruptcy claims that Aymond has mismanaged the process and acted in bad faith, which has impeded necessary progress. Additionally, it alleges that while other church institutions sought to overturn a state law enabling victims of past abuse to pursue new lawsuits, Aymond’s actions have hindered opportunities for survivors.
In response to the motion for dismissal, the archdiocese contends that the recent filings do not introduce any new issues and argues against the collapse of the bankruptcy proceedings. Should the bankruptcy be dismissed, survivors would regain the ability to file individual lawsuits against the church, potentially pursuing larger settlements.
The proposed settlement plan for compensating victims has faced scrutiny for being inadequate. The archdiocese has offered $62.5 million, while survivors have submitted a proposal asserting claims could total as much as $1 billion. Furthermore, the financial management within the archdiocese has raised alarms; they have assigned oversight of financial matters to an unpaid volunteer who is reportedly experiencing cognitive decline.
Additionally, there are claims that Aymond misled the Vatican about the value of abuse claims provided in the bankruptcy filings without first seeking its approval. Survivors further accuse the archdiocese of failing to fully disclose the worth of its assets, with notable properties still marked as having “undetermined” values.
During the course of the bankruptcy, a troubling series of events has unfolded. Six clergy members have been arrested on sexual crime charges, yet the archdiocese has not initiated internal investigations into these allegations. Survivors argue that the current bankruptcy conditions have stifled accountability for individuals known to have committed abuse, prompting a renewed plea to return their claims to state court.
The Archdiocese of New Orleans is part of a broader trend among multiple U.S. dioceses grappling with financial strain due to litigation stemming from clergy abuse cases. As pressure mounts, the necessity for transparency and accountability in handling these critical issues is increasingly evident.
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Additional Resources
- NOLA: Archbishop Gregory Aymond
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Clergy Abuse
- WWLTV: Archdiocese Bankruptcy
- Google Search: Archdiocese of New Orleans Bankruptcy
- Big Easy Magazine: Enough is Enough
- Google News: Archbishop Gregory Aymond
- Catholic News Agency: Bankruptcy Case
- FOX8: Archbishop Aymond Submits Resignation
