Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans marked his 75th birthday on Tuesday by submitting his resignation to Pope Francis, as is required by Catholic Church canon law. Amidst the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ tumultuous Chapter 11 bankruptcy stemming from sexual abuse allegations, Aymond has offered to remain in his post until the proceedings are resolved. In accordance with church law, every bishop must tender their resignation to the pope upon reaching the age of 75. This policy was confirmed by Archbishop Aymond’s office, which stated that the next steps are now in the hands of Pope Francis, according to a report by
FOX 8 Live
.
The resignation comes at a time when the Archdiocese is entangled in contentious bankruptcy proceedings due to over 500 sexual abuse claims. Though the letter’s submission to the Papal Nuncio, a church diplomat, is procedural, what the Pope will do next remains unknown; he can either to accept Aymond’s resignation or call him to stay on, a piece of information obtained by
FOX 8 Live
outlines. The Clarion Herald featured a post by Archbishop Aymond himself, where he expressed his willingness to see the bankruptcy procedure through in the hopes of aiding in the healing process for the victims.
According to
WGNO
, Fr. Bentley Anderson, S.J., a professor of Catholic Studies at Loyola University, speculates that Pope Francis might request Archbishop Aymond to remain for an extended duration, potentially spanning from a few months to a couple of years. The timeline, according to Anderson, depends largely on the Vatican’s succession process. Meanwhile, sources indicate that any potential successor will likely possess experience in a bishop’s role. It is of historical note that Aymond is the first New Orleanian to hold the position of archbishop in New Orleans.
WWL Louisiana
reports that the Aymond-led archdiocese has presented a reorganization plan to compensate the abuse survivors, with church lawyers suggesting a sum of roughly $125,000 per claim. However, this proposal starkly contrasts with the survivors’ attorneys’ demands, who contend that the church, its affiliates, and its insurers should be responsible to pay around $2 million per claim. Tom Doyle, a former US Vatican embassy attorney, noted that the Vatican’s decisions on such mandated resignations can vary and pointed out that the Pope may simply not possess full awareness of diocesan intricacies.
Significantly, part of the tentative agreement reached between the archdiocese and survivors includes the public release of confidential personnel files detailing the management of clergy accused of child sexual abuse. The financial reparations owed by the diocese have provoked extensive debate, particularly when compared to other diocesan bankruptcies, which have seen higher compensations per claim, as reported by
WWL Louisiana
. As Aymond’s fate hangs in the balance, the Catholic community in New Orleans and the victims of past abuses await a resolution that could potentially ease a long history of suffering.
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