Survivors

Bishop Checchio to join troubled Archdiocese of New Orleans as coadjutor

unitedyam September 24, 2025

Bishop James Checchio of Metuchen, New Jersey, on Sept. 24, 2025, was named coadjutor bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. / Credit: Leo Song, Seminarian, Pontifical North American College

Rome Newsroom, Sep 24, 2025 / 06:25 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday named Bishop James Checchio coadjutor archbishop of New Orleans, positioning him to head an archdiocese facing bankruptcy and a costly clergy abuse settlement.

The 59-year-old Checchio — bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey, since 2016 — will assist Archbishop Gregory Aymond in the leadership of over half a million Catholics in southeastern Louisiana. Prior to becoming a bishop, Checchio was rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome from 2006 to 2016. He has a doctorate in canon law.

As coadjutor, Checchio will automatically succeed Aymond, who turned 75, the age when bishops are required to submit their resignation to the pope, last year. Aymond, a New Orleans native, has led the archdiocese since 2009.

Checchio joins the leadership of New Orleans as the archdiocese moves to resolve yearslong bankruptcy negotiations with a settlement for over 600 clergy sexual abuse claimants. Earlier this month, the archdiocese announced a $230 million settlement offer to clergy sexual abuse claimants, up from a previous offer of $180 million.

The settlement offer follows five years of negotiations in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, where the nation’s second-oldest Catholic archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in May 2020.

Aymond, who has served as chairman of the child protection commission for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in May that the settlement gave him “great hope.”

The agreement “protects our parishes and begins to bring the proceedings to a close,” he said, adding: “I am grateful to God for all who have worked to reach this agreement and that we may look to the future towards a path to healing for survivors and for our local Church.”

Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans in Rome on Jan. 26, 2012. Credit: Alan Holdren/CNA

The settlement represents one of the largest sums in the U.S. paid out to victims of clergy sexual abuse.

Aymond was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 1975. His priestly ministry focused on education — including serving as the president-rector of Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans from 1986 to 2000 — and missionary work in Mexico and Nicaragua.

In 1996, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese and given oversight over its Catholic schools.

Aymond came under fire in the late 1990s for allowing the coach at Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Norco, Brian Matherne, to remain in his role for several months after Aymond received information about alleged abuse of a minor boy by Matherne.

Matherne was later arrested and is now serving a 30-year sentence after pleading guilty to the molestation of 17 children over a 15-year period ending in 1999.

Aymond later admitted his mistake in keeping Matherne in his post and called the case a “painful experience — I will never forget it. It helped me to understand the complexity of pedophilia better.”

He was appointed coadjutor bishop of Austin, Texas, in June 2000 and succeeded Bishop John E. McCarthy as bishop of Austin in January 2021.

In that position, Aymond strengthened the diocese’s sex abuse policies, though clerical abuse activists from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) have criticized the archbishop’s record, claiming he only “postures as someone who takes clergy sex crimes seriously.”

Catholic and U.S. leaders offer prayers on 24th anniversary of 9/11

unitedyam September 11, 2025

Memorial lights commemorate the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. / Credit: Brian E Kushner/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 11, 2025 / 13:34 pm (CNA).

On the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Catholic and U.S. leaders offered prayers and paid tribute to those who lost their lives that day and for all those who continue to grieve.

“Today we remember Sept. 11, 2001,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York wrote in a joint post to social media. “We continue to pray for the souls lost that day, the families who still mourn, the heroes who served, and all those who have since died from 9/11-related illnesses or continue to suffer.”

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Dolan’s post offered a prayer to be said on the anniversary: “Lord, on this Sept. 11, we remember all who died 24 years ago in our city and throughout the country. We hold in our hearts those who still carry loss and grief from that day.”

“Grant eternal rest to the departed, strength to survivors and their families, and protection for first responders and all who serve our communities with courage and dedication. Lord God, continue to watch over our city and country, and help us turn hearts toward compassion and peace. Amen.”

In a post to X, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) also offered a prayer in memory of the attack: “God of understanding, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and guidance as we confront such terrible events. Grant that those whose lives were spared may live so that the lives lost here may not have been lost in vain.”

“Comfort and console us, strengthen us in hope, and give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly for a world where true peace and love reign among nations and in the hearts of all.”

U.S. leaders also commemorated the day and paid tribute to the victims.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended an event at the Pentagon in Virginia on Thursday morning where prayers were offered for all the victims, first responders, those who continue to grieve, and U.S. active military members.

“To every family member that still feels a void every day of your lives, the First Lady and I unite with you in sorrow,” Trump said at the event. “And today, as one nation, we renew our sacred vow that we will never forget Sept. 11, 2001.”

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also spoke, asking the crowd to honor the memory of the victims and to acknowledge “the decades of courage that followed” the attack.

“We gather to pay tribute to the first responders who charged into the flames and up the stairs, to those trapped on planes fighting their final fight, and to the families whose lives were forever altered by that fateful day,” Hegseth said.

“I thank God for all of you and all of our fighters from that day, to today and beyond. May God bless our warriors as they ruthlessly seek out enemies on behalf of the fellow citizens they love.”

Archdiocese of New Orleans offers 0 million to settle abuse claims

unitedyam September 9, 2025

St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. / Credit: travelview/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Sep 9, 2025 / 14:53 pm (CNA).

After the Archdiocese of New Orleans increased its settlement offer to clergy sexual abuse claimants from $180 million to $230 million on Sept. 8, attorneys of the victims urged their clients to accept the deal.

The archdiocese was able to increase its initial offer, announced in May, after securing a buyer for the $50 million sale of Christopher Homes, a property that has provided affordable housing and assisted living to low-income and senior citizens in the Gulf Coast area for the last 50 years.

“We knew we could do better, and we have,” said attorneys Richard Trahant, Soren Gisleson, John Denenea, and several other attorneys who represent about 200 of the 660 claimants.

The attorneys, who said the initial settlement was “dead on arrival,” urged their clients to hold out for a better offer, saying that they deserved closer to $300 million, a figure similar to the $323 million paid out to about 600 claimants by the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York in 2024.

In the Diocese of Rockville Centre bankruptcy settlement, attorneys reportedly collected about 30% of the $323 million, or approximately $96.9 million. Similarly, the Los Angeles Archdiocese’s $660 million settlement in 2007 saw attorneys receiving an estimated $165-$217.8 million, or 25%-33% of the payout.

Payout amounts to individual claimants in the New Orleans case will be determined by a point system negotiated by a committee of victims.

Administered by a trustee and an independent claims administrator appointed by the court, the point system is based on the type and nature of the alleged abuse. Additional points can be awarded for factors like participation in criminal prosecutions, pre-bankruptcy lawsuits, or leadership in victim efforts, while points may be reduced if the claimant was over 18 and consented to the contact. The impact of the alleged abuse on the victim’s behavior, academic achievement, mental health, faith, and family relationships can also adjust the score.

New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond said in a statement Monday that he is “very hopeful and committed to bringing this bankruptcy to a conclusion that benefits the survivors of abuse,” he said.

“I know there remains much work to be done, and I continue to hold this work in prayer. Please know that I pray for the survivors of abuse every day and look forward to the opportunity to meet with them to hear their stories firsthand.”

Two-thirds of the victims in the lawsuit will have to accept the offer by Oct. 29. If they do not, the case could be thrown out of bankruptcy, giving alleged victims a chance to pursue lawsuits individually.

A New Orleans man who filed a lawsuit in 2021 against a Catholic religious order unrelated to the New Orleans bankruptcy case recently won a $2.4 million jury verdict.

In 2021, the Louisiana Legislature eliminated the statute of limitations for civil actions related to the sexual abuse of minors. The new law allows victims to pursue civil damages indefinitely for abuse occurring on or after June 14, 1992, or where the victim was a minor as of June 14, 2021, with a three-year filing window (which ended June 14, 2024) for older cases.

The Diocese of Lafayette, along with the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the Diocese of Baton Rouge, the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Catholic Charities, the Diocese of Lake Charles, and several other entities challenged the law’s constitutionality, arguing it violated due process, but the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld it in June 2024 in a 4-3 decision.

Critics argued the retroactive nature of the law risks unfairness to defendants unable to defend against decades-old abuse claims due to lost evidence and highlighted the potentially devastating financial impact.

Federal court approves settlement between sex abuse survivors and Diocese of Rochester

unitedyam September 8, 2025

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Rochester, New York. / Credit: DanielPenfield via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

CNA Staff, Sep 8, 2025 / 12:37 pm (CNA).

One of the nation’s largest sexual abuse settlements unfolded in a federal bankruptcy court in Rochester, New York, on Friday, bringing about resolution for the nearly 500 survivors of child sex abuse by clergy within the Diocese of Rochester.

After a six-year legal battle, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York approved a $246 million settlement, which will average approximately $500,000 per survivor.

The settlement concludes a process that began when the diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 following the passage of the New York Child Victims Act, which allows abuse victims to file civil lawsuits until they are 55 years old. The law temporarily lifted the statute of limitations, enabling survivors to pursue claims against their abusers.

Bankruptcy attorney Ilan Scharf described the day as a “milestone for survivors in the Rochester area after being the first bankruptcy filed in New York” after the passage of the Child Victims Act.

Survivors expressed a mix of emotions, with many ready to move forward.

Gregory Stanley noted: “The healing can start now, which is more important than the money. I’m just glad it’s over.” Merle Sweet echoed this sentiment, saying: “Relief. It’s all finally over,” while John McHugh added: “I am actually, for the first time, excited for the future.”

Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, representing 97 victims, emphasized the survivors’ resilience, stating in a press release that the process validated their experiences and contributed to a safer world for children, setting an example of determination for others globally.

Survivor Carol Dupre shared the profound impact on her community. “This was a real wounding of a lot of people and their families. There’s literally thousands upon thousands of people that have been negatively affected by what happened to us,” she said.

Bishop Salvatore Matano of the Diocese of Rochester addressed the media after the settlement, offering a message of hope and regret. “I pray that this is certainly a step toward their healing,” he said of the victims. “I apologize to them. I deeply regret what transpired in their lives, which, as the judge said, never should have happened.”

He continued: “While this process legally concludes today, I take them in my heart every day of my life, and every time I approach the altar, they will be in my memory, asking the good Lord to give them the strength and the courage to continue on, and that they be blessed in the years ahead.”

Matano issued a letter the same day in which he said the “settlement provisions can be effectuated” in the next several weeks. Of the $246 million settlement, $55 million will be paid by the diocese and affiliated entities, according to the letter, and the rest by the diocese’s insurers.

The bishop concluded the letter addressing abusers, saying he entrusts “them to Jesus, the final judge, and I pray they have acknowledged their offenses and used their remaining years to seek his mercy and have prayed fervently for those they have hurt.”

Security breakdown in Syria: Syriac Catholic archpriest attacked

unitedyam September 5, 2025

Father Rony Salim, chancellor of the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul, shared with ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, that the bishop has called Qaraqosh the “City of Hosanna” due to its uniquely spirited celebration marked by hymns, prayers, and massive crowds of worshippers. / Credit: Ismael Adnan/ACI MENA

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 5, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Syriac Catholic archpriest attacked in Syria

Tensions in Syria deepened this week after a brutal assault on Archpriest Michel Naaman of the Syriac Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Homs. Returning home one evening, Naaman was ambushed by two masked men who beat him, threatened him at gunpoint, and stripped him of his gold cross and cash, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Thursday.

The attack is part of a troubling pattern of insecurity hitting Christian communities across Syria. In recent months, robberies, kidnappings, and even attacks on churches have become increasingly common in Homs, Aleppo, and beyond. For many, the assault on Naaman is another chilling reminder of the dangers Christians still face in a country fractured by war and lawlessness.

European Commission to examine EU abortion funding initiative

The European Commission has said it will examine the European Citizens’ Initiative’s call for EU funding for “safe and accessible” abortion after an initiative reached over 1 million signatures across 19 member states, according to a European News Room report.

A Slovenian nonprofit organization, Institute 8th March, led the initiative, alongside several other EU nongovernmental organizations. “We want the European Union to establish a financial mechanism that would allow countries to provide abortion services to those individuals who do not have access to abortion in their own countries,” Institute 8th March Director Nika Kovač said. The commission said it will provide a response by March 2026.

Internal displacement camps in Nigeria ‘competing for space’ amid ongoing violence

Refugee camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Nigeria are experiencing heightened pressure amid ongoing violence across the West African country, according to Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja.

“People are losing their homes. The growing number of IDP camps is competing for space with estates in the cities,” he said in an Aug. 31 statement posted to his Facebook account. The archbishop further called on the government to “rise up to the occasion and take definitive action to stop the incessant killings, terrorism, banditry, and economic hardships ravaging our people.”

South Sudan bishop expresses solidarity with victims after landslide

Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of the Tombura-Yambio Diocese in South Sudan has expressed his solidarity with the victims of a devastating landslide that reportedly wiped out the village of Tarasin in the southwest Darfur region.

“It is with a heart full of sorrow and solidarity that I write to you in the wake of the devastating landslide that has erased the village of Tarasin and claimed so many innocent lives. The scale of this tragedy defies words, yet it is our shared humanity, our common faith, and our spiritual responsibility that compel us to speak to comfort, to support, and to hope,” the bishop said in a Sept. 3 letter shared with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa. “Please accept my deepest condolences and heartfelt prayers for all those affected. I stand with you in mourning but also in courage and in the pursuit of justice, dignity, and healing for the survivors.”

South Korean priests urge government not to build airport over wetland

The Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice in South Korea is protesting against government proposals to build an airport near the Saemangeum wetland, according to a UCA News report.

The association celebrated Mass on Sept. 1 outside the presidential office in Seoul to express its opposition to the project, which it said “is destroying the environment and people’s livelihoods.” Parish priest Father Song Yeon-hong, who presided over the Mass, spoke out against the project, saying: “Many lives are dying due to the project, migratory birds that once visited Saemangeum have vanished, and local fishermen are leaving.”

St. Anne’s Church in Syria reopens

In a rare scene of celebration from Syria’s battered northwest, hundreds of worshippers gathered in the village of Yacoubiyah for the rededication of St. Anne’s Church, ACI MENA reported Monday. The centuries-old site, scarred by war and earthquakes, has been restored thanks to the efforts of Franciscan friars and local Christians.

The liturgy, led by Bishop Magar Ashkarian of the Armenian Orthodox Church, was filled with music, bells, and the sight of parishioners reclaiming a sacred space long denied to them. St. Anne’s, first built in the 14th century, had suffered destruction and neglect through war and extremism. Only in recent years, under shifting local conditions, were Christians permitted to return and celebrate their patron saint’s feast. For villagers from Yacoubiyah, al-Quniyah, and al-Jadida, and pilgrims from across Syria, the reopening was more than a religious event; it was a sign of endurance and hope.

Bankruptcy court accepts Diocese of Syracuse’s 6 million abuse settlement

unitedyam August 28, 2025

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse, New York, where a federal court accepted the diocese’s $176 million settlement plan. / Credit: debra millet/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

A federal bankruptcy court has accepted the Diocese of Syracuse, New York’s massive $176 million abuse settlement plan, Bishop Douglas Lucia said this week.

The decision comes after a yearslong negotiation process between the diocese and victims of clergy abuse as well as between the diocese and insurers that will pay into the settlement fund.

Lucia said in an Aug. 27 letter that the diocese will contribute $100 million to the fund, as diocesan leaders first announced in 2023.

Fifty million dollars will come from the diocese itself, with $45 million from parishes and $5 million from “other Catholic entities” associated with the Syracuse Diocese.

The remaining $76 million will be contributed by diocesan insurance companies, the bishop said.

Further “nonmonetary items” in the agreement include provisions such as strengthening diocesan safe environment policies.

The diocese initiated the bankruptcy process in 2020. In his letter, Lucia thanked his fellow Catholics “who throughout these five years have prayed for this resolution and for those whose hearts were broken by the betrayal that came at the hands of Church members.”

“Together I now pray we will grow ever more as the body of Christ in this part of the world community,” he said.

The Syracuse decision comes amid a wave of high-value abuse settlement payouts from U.S. dioceses, including throughout New York.

Abuse victims in New York last month agreed to a massive settlement from the Diocese of Rochester, which is set to pay $246 million to survivors of clergy abuse there.

The Diocese of Buffalo, New York, earlier this year agreed to pay out a $150 million sum as part of its own abuse settlement.

The largest diocesan-level bankruptcy settlement in U.S. history thus far has been from the Diocese of Rockville Centre — also in New York — which last year agreed to pay $323 million to abuse victims.

The largest Church abuse payout total in U.S. history thus far has been at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which last year agreed to a near-$1 billion payment to abuse victims.

Bishop Checchio to join troubled Archdiocese of New Orleans as coadjutor

Archdiocese of New Orleans offers $230 million to settle abuse claims

Federal court approves settlement between sex abuse survivors and Diocese of Rochester

Security breakdown in Syria: Syriac Catholic archpriest attacked