Archdiocese of New Orleans

The Latest

A family grieves their lost baby at a funeral at the crypt at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in New Orleans. Many friends, relatives, and families attended the funeral that day.

Burials for little ones: How a New Orleans ministry helps families grieve

Nov 19, 2025

By Kate Quiñones

Compassionate Burials for Indigent Babies buries babies who have died and organizes the funerals, which are held at a crypt... Read more

The St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square are seen at sunset near the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans on April 10, 2010.

Sex abuse victims in New Orleans Archdiocese approve $230 million settlement

Oct 31, 2025

By Amira Abuzeid

The Archdiocese of New Orleans secured nearly unanimous approval for a $230 million bankruptcy settlement on Thursday, paving the way... Read more

Bishop James Checchio of Metuchen, New Jersey, on Sept. 24, 2025, was named coadjutor bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Bishop Checchio to join troubled Archdiocese of New Orleans as coadjutor

Sep 24, 2025

By Hannah Brockhaus

Bishop James Checchio of Metuchen, New Jersey, will assist Archbishop Gregory Aymond in the leadership of over half a million... Read more

St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.

Archdiocese of New Orleans offers $230 million to settle abuse claims

Sep 9, 2025

By Amira Abuzeid

The Archdiocese of New Orleans has increased its settlement offer to clergy sexual abuse claimants from $180 million to $230... Read more

St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.

Archdiocese of New Orleans agrees to $180 million settlement with abuse victims

May 22, 2025

By Daniel Payne

The Archdiocese of New Orleans this week agreed to pay a massive $180 million to victims of clergy abuse there,... Read more

Jeanne Vath Ory receives her Regina Matrum Award after a special vigil Mass was celebrated by New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond at her home parish, St. Joan of Arc in LaPlace, Louisiana, on May 12, 2025, the day after Mother’s Day.

Catholic mom of 10 honored as ‘queen of mothers’ at New Orleans vigil Mass

May 13, 2025

By Kate Quiñones

A Catholic mother of 10 and grandmother of 30 was honored by New Orleans’ Archbishop Gregory Aymond during a special... Read more

U.S. Department of Justice headquarters building in Washington, D.C.

Department of Justice says data breach exposed information on diocesan sex abuse survivors

May 9, 2025

By Daniel Payne

The U.S. Justice Department says a recent data breach of a California consulting firm exposed data of Catholic clergy abuse... Read more

The St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square are seen at sunset near the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans on April 10, 2010.

New Orleans Archdiocese ordered to defend bankruptcy case

Apr 30, 2025

By Daniel Payne

Under financial pressure from abuse litigation compounded by the pandemic, the archdiocese announced in 2020 that its administrative offices were... Read more

New Orleans saints NFL club logo.

New Orleans NFL team denies it had input into archdiocesan clergy abuse list

Feb 4, 2025

By Daniel Payne

The denial comes amid a media controversy over the football team’s role in helping the archdiocese manage the fallout from... Read more

President Joe Biden speaks during an interfaith prayer service at the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, in New Orleans on Jan. 6, 2025, with the families and community members impacted by the New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans.

Biden attends prayer service for New Orleans terror attack victims hosted by archdiocese

Jan 7, 2025

By Daniel Payne

The president was among the dignitaries at the Monday evening event at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. Read more

FBI investigators arrive at the scene where a pickup truck crashed into a work lift after allegedly driving into a crowd of New Year’s revelers in the French Quarter of New Orleans on Jan. 1, 2025.

UPDATE: Driver slams car into New Year’s crowd in New Orleans: 15 killed, archbishop offers prayers

Jan 1, 2025

By Tina Dennelly

“Our prayers go out to those killed and injured in this morning’s horrific attack on Bourbon Street,” New Orleans Archbishop... Read more

Father Lawrence Hecker pleaded guilty this week to kidnapping and raping a teenage boy in the 1970s, heading off a long-delayed trial that launched with an indictment last year. 

Louisiana priest Lawrence Hecker dies in prison after life sentence over rape of teenager

Dec 30, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Lawrence Hecker was indicted in September 2023 on felony charges related to allegations that he raped an underage teenage boy... Read more

Father Lawrence Hecker pleaded guilty this week to kidnapping and raping a teenage boy in the 1970s, heading off a long-delayed trial that launched with an indictment last year. 

Louisiana priest sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to rape of teenage boy

Dec 19, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Lawrence Hecker had pleaded guilty earlier this month to the kidnapping and raping of his teenage victim in the 1970s. Read more

Father Lawrence Hecker pleaded guilty this week to kidnapping and raping a teenage boy in the 1970s, heading off a long-delayed trial that launched with an indictment last year. 

New Orleans priest pleads guilty to 1970s kidnapping, rape of teenager

Dec 4, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Father Lawrence Hecker’s trial was repeatedly delayed this year amid Hecker’s ill health and uncertainty over his mental competency to... Read more

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Archdiocese of New Orleans will release personnel files of clergy accused of sex abuse

Nov 8, 2024

By Daniel Payne

On Thursday the archdiocese said in an announcement that it had agreed to “nonmonetary plan provisions to be included in... Read more

The St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square on March 27, 2020, in New Orleans.

Archdiocese of New Orleans offers $62 million abuse settlement; survivors ask for $1 billion

Sep 17, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The archdiocesan proposal is considerably less than the roughly $1 billion proposed by survivors of clergy abuse. Read more

The St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the United States, on April 9, 2020, in New Orleans.

Archdiocese of New Orleans suspected of child sex trafficking, warrant shows

May 1, 2024

By Tyler Arnold

The affidavit requesting the warrant alleges that multiple victims claim they were transported to parishes and out of state, where... Read more

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Louisiana police obtain new search warrant in New Orleans Archdiocese abuse investigation

Apr 25, 2024

By Daniel Payne

A police spokesman confirmed that they obtained the warrant as part of the investigation into “numerous complaints of child sexual... Read more

CNA

Prosecutor vows to try ‘on a gurney’ 92-year-old Louisiana priest accused of rape

Feb 27, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Lawrence Hecker was indicted on charges of aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping, an aggravated crime against nature, and theft in September... Read more

New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson pictured with two students at Good Shepherd School in New Orleans, where she announced her decision to give a large donation to fund the opening of a second school in December 2023.

‘Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive’: New Orleans Saints owner funds new Catholic school

Jan 7, 2024

By Zoe Romanowsky

Gayle Benson concluded her monthly giving in December with a large donation to Good Shepherd School, which serves inner-city children... Read more