(TX)
MySA [San Antonio TX]
May 13, 2026
By Zachary-Taylor Wright
Odiong’s name reportedly coming down from church he helped fund 2 years after charges filed.
A Central Texas priest charged with 10 felony counts involving multiple sexual assault claims and a possession of child pornography accusation may be removed from a church he reportedly helped fund, according to a new report.
Prosecutors have tried to convict disgraced priest Anthony Odiong for more than two years.
Odiong’s name has officially been added to a list of priests accused of sexually abusing a minor on the Archdiocese of New Orleans website, though his charges stem from Texas, out of McLennan County, where Waco is the county seat. The list states the priests are removed from ministry pending their criminal trial or verdict.
The Guardian reports the Archdiocese of New Orleans may be planning to remove Odiong’s name from the inscription at Our Lady of Guadalupe Healing Chapel in Luling, Louisiana, a church the news outlet says the jailed priest helped raise $600,000 to build.
Odiong has been behind bars since his initial arrest in July 2024, according to McLennan County Sheriff’s Office jail records.
The accused priest has served in many cities across Texas and in Louisiana. Having served in Austin before his move to Waco, Bishop Joe S. Vásquez, formerly of the Diocese of Austin and now Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, issued a statement in the months after Odion’s arrest expressing concern for the victims.
“I am deeply saddened by the news that is emerging concerning Father Anthony Odiong, a priest of the Diocese of Uyo, Nigeria, who previously served in the Diocese of Austin,” Vásquez wrote. “I remain committed to cooperating with and supporting law enforcement in their efforts. Let us hold in prayer those who have been impacted by this matter. May God bring about His peace and renewal.”
Odiong was prepared to enter a plea deal in December 2024, but court records show he reneged on it and was ordered back before a judge to resolve his case. Since then, it’s been a regular back and forth between prosecutors and Odiong’s defense. Attempts to lower bond amounts, consolidate cases, and quash and suppress evidence have kept the courts busy, pending a trial date yet to be set.