Statement from SNAP on the proposed Archdiocese of New Orleans bankruptcy settlement

The best legal settlements offer survivors a sense of closure and justice. Unfortunately, the proposed bankruptcy settlement from the Archdiocese of New Orleans offers neither. Survivors have the right to vote “no” on this settlement and force the Archdiocese of New Orleans to come back with a better offer—one that truly reflects the full extent of the harm it has caused to survivors and their families.

Archbishop Gregory Aymond declared bankruptcy not to seek reconciliation, but to protect the institution: to shield secret files, preserve wealth, and limit accountability. With the backing of church-friendly judges, politicians, and business leaders, he has pushed through a process that prioritizes the Archdiocese’s bottom line over justice for victims. We can’t help but wonder—if survivors had access to the same institutional power, how different would the proposed settlement be?

Clergy abuse survivor and SNAP Board Treasurer Dan McNevin said, “No amount of money can ever make up for the trauma of being raped as a child by a trusted religious figure. It cannot restore what was stolen by the church. Yet within the constraints of bankruptcy court, financial compensation is the only available measure of justice. Survivors deserve better—and they deserve far more.”

There is also no clear evidence that Catholic children in New Orleans are safer today than they were before. What is clear, however, is that this settlement allows the status quo to continue, a status quo that enabled thousands of acts of abuse by hundreds of Catholic clerics, and decades of concealment by bishops, politicians, and so-called community leaders.

This settlement may close a case, but it does not deliver justice.

CONTACT:

Dan McNevin SNAP Board Treasurer ([email protected], +1-415-341-6417), Sarah Pearson, SNAP Media and Communications ([email protected], +1-414-366-5403), Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], +1-814-341-8386)

(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for more than 35 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)