New Orleans Archbishop Begins Survivor Meetings Under $300 Million Bankruptcy Settlement

Photo: New Orleans Gregory Michael Aymond; via Wikipedia.

A small group of survivors of clergy sexual abuse recently gathered at a New Orleans church office for the first in a series of meetings with Archbishop Gregory Aymond. The sessions were arranged as part of the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ Chapter 11 bankruptcy settlement, approved in December, which includes both financial compensation and non-monetary commitments to survivors, The Guardian reported yesterday.

Under the agreement, approximately 600 survivors are expected to share in a $305 million compensation fund. Beyond monetary terms, the settlement requires the archdiocese to hold group and individual meetings, issue apology letters to claimants, remove honors for credibly accused clergy, and establish a physical “place of remembrance.”

The archdiocese scheduled 10 group meetings, organizing two sessions per day over five days beginning February 6. Some survivors expressed concern about the compressed timeline, noting the meetings coincided with Carnival season festivities and Super Bowl events. Archbishop Aymond responded that the schedule had been publicly posted weeks earlier and cited urgency tied to his pending retirement.

“These meetings are about listening,” Aymond said in remarks to WWL Louisiana. “I don’t think we truly know how anyone feels. I want to hear directly from survivors and bring those experiences to prayer.”

Among those attending the first session was Andre Fourroux, who has publicly alleged abuse by retired priest Joseph deWater. DeWater has denied wrongdoing and has not been included on the archdiocese’s list of clergy it considers credibly accused — a point Fourroux said he hoped to raise.

“Nobody listened to the children,” Fourroux said. “Just plain listening to what survivors have to say is what he needs to do — what the whole clerical system needs to do.”

The initial meeting faced logistical challenges. The archdiocese posted an incorrect address online and arranged transportation for survivors who arrived at the wrong location. The church also agreed not to use an outside facilitator, following survivor objections. Survivors were not permitted to bring personal advocates to the sessions.

The settlement, finalized after six years of contentious bankruptcy proceedings, includes additional contributions from insurers, including Travelers. The court-supervised process resulted in more than $55 million in legal fees.

In addition to group sessions, survivors may request private meetings with Archbishop Aymond for up to one year. The archdiocese must also publish survivor stories on its website and maintain reforms intended to address past failures.

Aymond, who submitted his retirement upon turning 75 in November 2024 as required by church law, said he was determined to complete the meetings personally.

“I promised I would finish this before I retired,” he said. “We don’t know exactly when that will happen, but it’s coming quickly.”