NEW ORLEANS (LA)
Clarion Herald [Archdiocese of New Orleans LA]
November 13, 2025
By Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond
To the Clergy, Religious, and Laity of the Archdiocese of New Orleans
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
As I write to you, our team is preparing for the Confirmation Hearing for our Chapter 11 Reorganization. That is set to begin on Monday and continue over the course of several days until December 4. We remain hopeful that with the support of the plan proponents and the overwhelming number of votes in support of the plan from abuse survivors that we will bring these proceedings to a close. As we look ahead, please continue to join me in prayer for the survivors and for the successful resolution of our Chapter 11 Reorganization.
As many of you may have heard from your pastors or read in the media, this week the parishes and several ministerial agencies of the Archdiocese of New Orleans filed for Chapter 11 Reorganization as part of our reorganization plan. Through these prepackaged Chapter 11 filings we can put this shameful and sinful piece of history behind us and move forward with the gold standard of child protection measures in place to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These filings will protect your parish assets now and into the future from liabilities for past acts of abuse. With an open statute of limitations on abuse claims, this is the best legal protection parishes and agencies can have against future claims of abuse from the past by clergy, religious, and lay staff or volunteers.
Understandably, the idea of your parish filing for bankruptcy could cause anxiety and concern. The bankruptcy proceedings will not affect the day-to-day operations of your parish or a parish school. There will be no staffing changes, all bills and vendors will be paid, and all operations will continue as normal from the time of filing through plan confirmation. I want to assure Catholic school families that tuition funds have not and will not be used for any part of the bankruptcy.
In closing, I again ask for your prayers for the survivors of abuse. Please pray for them and for those working to bring conclusion to these long legal proceedings. God is faithful.
Wishing you God’s blessings, I am,
Sincerely in Christ,
Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond
Archbishop of New Orleans