Archdiocese removes deacon from ministry following report of abuse
NEW ORLEANS, La. (WVUE) -The Archdiocese of New Orleans removed a deacon from ministry Monday following a report of abuse. V.M. Wheeler has been assigned to St. Francis Xavier in Metairie since his ordination in 2018. Wheeler is also a partner at New Orleans law firm, Chaffe McCall LLP.
The Archdiocese says the allegation of abuse happened 20 years ago, before Wheeler became a deacon. The Archdiocese says it received the report of abuse within the last week.
We spoke with the Survivors Network of those Abuse by Priests, or SNAP, about the claim.
"I'm very surprised to hear because part and parcel of what the Archdiocese and not just this one but all of them do is they protect and they enable abusers," said Kevin Bourgeois with SNAP New Orleans.
The Archdiocese says Wheeler had no pastoral assignments prior to his assignment at St. Francis Xavier.
In a statement, Chaffe McCall, LLP said, “The firm is aware of the recent action taken by Archbishop Aymond concerning V.M. Wheeler. We fully support the right of all victims of sexual abuse to speak out and be heard. Mr. Wheeler has been employed at Chaffe McCall since 2016. We take this matter very seriously and are taking appropriate action. As this is a confidential personnel matter, we are not able to comment further at this time.”
The Archdiocese says it pledges its full cooperation into the investigation and ask anyone with additional information or an allegation of abuse to contact the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office.
“The average age of someone who was sexually abused comes to terms with it and actually discloses it to someone is age 52, so, this happened 20 years ago, it’s likely that individual is younger than the median age for a survivor to come forward, that’s hopeful, very, very hopeful and I hope that speaks volumes to people who are still holding on to that secret and they don’t need to anymore because there are resources for help,” said Bourgeois.
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office says it has been in contact with the Archdiocese and will investigate any allegations that come to their office. The Department encourages anyone who has been victimized or has any information regarding possible criminal activity to contact the JPSO Investigations Bure...
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director