NEW ORLEANS (LA)
KADN - Fox 15 [Lafayette LA]
November 10, 2025
By Scott Brazda
The Catholic church’s plan to use funds intended for feeding the hungry in Acadiana to pay for a clergy sex abuse settlement has been a topic of concern. However, an anonymous donor has stepped in to resolve this financial dilemma. An anonymous benefactor has agreed to cover the $16 million …
NEW ORLEANS (NEWS 15) — The Catholic church’s plan to use funds intended for feeding the hungry in Acadiana to pay for a clergy sex abuse settlement has been a topic of concern. However, an anonymous donor has stepped in to resolve this financial dilemma.
An anonymous benefactor has agreed to cover the $16 million share of the settlement that was expected from Second Harvest. The food bank’s board members had initially resisted paying this portion of the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ bankruptcy settlement, leading Archbishop Gregory Aymond to remove board members and change bylaws to dismiss longtime CEO Natalie Jayroe.
Archbishop Aymond addressed the controversy in a video statement.
“The characterizations of the archdiocese as stealing money from the hungry are completely false,” he said. “The most difficult part of this is that it may have been preventable if the parties, including myself, would have put aside our pride.”
With the $230 million bankruptcy settlement nearing final approval, the fears surrounding the use of Second Harvest funds have been alleviated. Douglas Draper, an attorney for church affiliates, confirmed that the food bank’s current funds will not be used for the settlement.
“No money that they presently have in their account will be used to fund it,” Draper stated.
The timing of this anonymous donation is crucial, as Louisiana families are dealing with a federal government shutdown and a nationwide reduction in food-stamp benefits. This allows Second Harvest to focus on its mission of feeding the hungry, free from financial controversy.