A New Orleans Priest Was Accused of Molestation; He Still Collected $2,500 Monthly in Retirement

By Ramon Antonio Vargas
Times-Picayune
May 6, 2020

https://www.nola.com/news/courts/article_647e0d6e-8fe4-11ea-b252-3ba173b86473.html

Accused of sexually molesting a boy he taught before he become a priest, Paul Calamari walked into New Orleans Archbishop Alfred Hughes’ office on Feb. 5, 2004, to discuss what might be ahead.

The Catholic church had only recently been rocked by the sexual-abuse scandal in Boston. Bishops across the U.S. were dealing with allegations in their dioceses, and New Orleans was no different. Calamari ultimately chose to retire, and he began receiving a monthly pension of $1,566 from the archdiocese — which later rose to more than $2,500 a month, according to court records.

The archdiocese slashed the amount by several hundred dollars during the spring of 2019, citing “significant” budget issues.

But after the archdiocese petitioned for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week, U.S. District Judge Meredith Grabill ordered the organization to stop paying priests who — like Calamari — are credibly accused child molesters.

The archdiocese, which said its need for bankruptcy protection was due to the numerous clergy abuse lawsuits it faced as well as the coronavirus pandemic, hasn’t said how many priests were in Calamari’s position or how much money they’ve paid out over the years.

But at least three priests have been described by the archdiocese as both retired and credibly suspected of sexually preying on children. And archdiocesan policies show all retired priests — regardless of their circumstances — are entitled to insurance and their choice of archdiocese-provided living quarters, in addition to the monthly income provided prior to the bankruptcy.

Calamari has received more than $319,000 in pension payments following his forced retirement 17 years ago. Insurance and housing would make the total much higher.

Calamari denies wrongdoing in a filing from his attorney in January. The archdiocese didn't comment Wednesday.

Advocates of clergy abuse victims have long assailed the nationwide church practice of continuing to pay the retirements of suspected predator priests, saying it is simply a way for Catholic bureaucrats to shield criminals among their ranks in a manner no lay institution would even consider.

However, diocesan leaders have insisted they have moral and legal obligations to provide priests — even those believed to be abusers — their retirement benefits rather than allowing them to become destitute.