Saints’ Role in Addressing Clergy Abuse Crisis in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS — In a surprising twist, New Orleans church leaders found an unexpected ally in the city’s NFL team, the New Orleans Saints, as they prepared to deal with the fallout from releasing a list of priests accused of sexual abuse. This alliance set off a significant public relations effort to manage the situation that extended well beyond the football field.
Internal emails obtained reveal that top officials from the Saints, including the team president, took a hands-on approach to support the Catholic Church’s response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis. This collaboration was largely led by Saints owner Gayle Benson, a devout Catholic who has maintained a close relationship with the archbishop of New Orleans.
Critics argue that the Saints became too entangled in the church’s affairs. In a notable incident, a team spokesman briefed Saints officials about a conversation with the city’s prosecutor just hours before the church released the list of accused clergymen, which some contend hints at undue influence over the names included or excluded from the list.
The emails suggest that Saints executives were among the very first to access the list, pointing to a coordinated effort to control the narrative surrounding a troubling scandal. Team officials even prepared questions for Archbishop Gregory Aymond to answer during press briefings, clearly marked by their desire to shield the church from further scrutiny.
Democratic state representative Mandie Landry expressed her outrage over the Saints’ involvement, calling the situation “disgusting” and suggesting that protecting the church’s image should not come at the cost of justice for the victims. Many shared her sentiment, feeling betrayed that a beloved local institution would take such steps to protect those accused of heinous crimes.
In their defense, the Saints have stated that their involvement is a matter of the past and pointed out that they had only provided minimal assistance to the church during this time. However, the leaked emails have cast doubt on this claim, raising concerns about how deeply the organization was involved in managing the church’s crisis.
The relationship between the Saints and the Catholic Church has been longstanding, with Benson and Aymond having known each other for years. Their close ties have raised questions about how that connection may have influenced the Saints’ actions during the clergy abuse scandal.
As New Orleans continues to confront the fallout from these revelations, the extent of the involvement of the Saints in church matters is likely to remain a topic of discussion. While supporters may view their efforts as a means to help a troubled institution, many others see it differently, believing that the organization should have distanced itself from any attempt to protect those accused of such deplorable actions.
The fallout from this crisis will likely continue to evolve, leaving many in the community questioning the integrity of both the church and the team. The hope remains that the focus will ultimately shift towards transparency and justice for the victims of abuse.
