Pastor Removed After Self-Reporting Himself as a Sexual Abuser and Another Priest Arrested on Obscenity Charges
A Louisiana pastor has been removed from his post after he reported himself to Catholic officials for sexually abusing a child in 2013. We call on Archdiocesan leaders in New Orleans to do immediate outreach so that parishioners are aware of the abuse and other victims are encouraged to come forward.
According to reports, Rev. Patrick Wattigny disclosed to Catholic officials in the Archdiocese of New Orleans that he had sexually abused a child in 2013. We are glad that Archbishop Gregory Aymond has already listed Fr. Wattigny on his list of accused priests. It is now incumbent on him to use all of the resources at his disposal to ensure his flock is aware of the allegation and so other survivors are encouraged to come forward to the police. Notably, this case is within the criminal statute of limitations in Louisiana and can still be prosecuted by law enforcement.
Making matters worse for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, another priest, Rev. Travis Clark, was arrested on charges of “obscenity with women.” By our count, this marks the 16th arrest of a Catholic staffer this year on abuse-related charges, further showing that the sexual abuse scandal is not a “thing of the past,” as church officials have claimed for years.
This news sends a clear message that parents, and parishioners, must remain vigilant when it comes to leaving children alone with adults and must also be watching out for signs of grooming or abuse. When communities are informed, abuse can be prevented, and we hope this news will encourage more people to learn about the realities of sexual violence and what role they can play in preventing future sex crimes.
CONTACT: Kevin Bourgeois, SNAP New Orleans ([email protected], 504-376-5445), Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
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
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