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Survivors of clergy abuse in the Archdiocese of New Orleans gathered in federal court yesterday, offering deeply personal testimony as a judge weighs whether a proposed $230 million settlement is fair for the roughly 600 people who were harmed by priests, deacons, and church workers over many decades, The Guardian reported.
The hearing marked what was expected to be the final day of witness testimony in a three week proceeding connected to the archdiocese’s long running bankruptcy case. The bankruptcy filing in May 2020 came in the wake of extensive allegations that spanned generations, and the settlement would represent the conclusion of that reorganization process if approved.
Survivors recounted experiences that for many still echo throughout their lives. Some spoke of forgiveness. Others said they had not reached that place. None described being able to forget.
One survivor, Neil Duhon, told the court he was fifteen when he was assaulted by a priest named Lawrence Hecker. Duhon recounted that Hecker pleaded guilty to aggravated rape and kidnapping in December 2024 and received a life sentence. Hecker died only days later. Speaking about his own path, Duhon said, “I’m still not there. I still struggle with that. I … never got to that point.”
Another survivor, Kathleen Austin, testified virtually that she lived with “lifelong effects of the trauma I live with every day” and described crippling flashbacks related to abuse by a priest named Gerard Howell. She noted that the archdiocese continued providing Howell financial support long after acknowledging what he had done. “The church I grew up in didn’t protect me and continued to protect their own,” she said. She questioned why the process had taken so long and at such significant financial cost, referencing the more than $55 million the archdiocese has spent on legal fees.
Other survivors spoke about the profound toll of abuse at places like Madonna Manor, an orphanage known for past mistreatment. One survivor, Chris Naquin, said, “No amount of money in the world can compensate what I’ve lost.” Another, Brian Manix, said there was “no money in the world that can give me back my childhood.”
Some survivors told the court they had found a way to forgive those who harmed them, even as they described lifelong impacts. Billy Cheramie spoke about being abused at a church camp five decades earlier and how it shaped his mental health and military service. Addressing church leaders, Cheramie said, “I forgive you. I love you. I pray for you.”
Others reflected on how clergy abuse derailed relationships, marriages, and faith. One survivor, Ted Posner, testified that abuse led him into alcoholism and deep spiritual struggle. “It destroyed my faith in God,” he said, adding that he chooses forgiveness because “I have to forgive him to be forgiven.”
Several described abuse that occurred in contexts where they believed they were safe, including military bases and parish communities. One survivor, Thomas Furino, said a priest he admired used that trust to harm him. He explained that the violation left him unable to maintain relationships. Even so, he told the court, “I forgive him.”
Archbishop Gregory Aymond attended the proceedings and later responded, saying the testimony was “heart wrenching.” He added, “I apologize for the church. I’m embarrassed by what has happened.”
Judge Meredith Grabill spoke directly to each survivor, acknowledging their courage. To Kathleen Austin she said she was “very sorry” for the ways the trauma affected her entire life. Grabill said she expected to rule on the fairness of the settlement later this month. A large majority of survivors previously voted in favor of the proposal.
The incoming archbishop, James Checchio, has been tasked with transitioning leadership alongside Aymond before Aymond’s retirement. Checchio was not in court due to a previously scheduled Vatican meeting, which some survivors found disappointing. One survivor, Richard Coon, said, “I am so disappointed,” while another, Tim Gioe, remarked that the absence made him feel as though, “I’m not being heard still.”
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