A high-ranking member of the Catholic Church has stepped down as about 600 survivors of sexual abuse get ready to split a $305 million settlement.
The Archdiocese of New Orleans said in a statement that Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Gregory Aymond, the Roman Catholic archbishop of New Orleans, on Wednesday, February 11.
New Clergy Checchio Will Celebrate His First Mass on Ash Wednesday 2026
Officials said that the Most Rev. James F. Checchio, who had been the coadjutor archbishop since September, would take his place. Before he moved, Checchio was the bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey, according to NOLA.com and The Guardian.
“These three months since my arrival in New Orleans have gone by very quickly as I learn more about our local Church and seek to understand how God is calling me to best serve this beautiful part of His vineyard,” Checchio said in a statement shared in the release.
The archdiocese said in a press release that Checchio will celebrate his first Mass as Archbishop of New Orleans on Ash Wednesday, February 18.
Aymond Resigned In November But Was Not Accepted
Aymond had to resign in November 2024, when he turned 75 years old. But it wasn’t accepted right away because the New Orleans Archdiocese was busy with a federal bankruptcy case they filed in 2020.
In December 2025, one month after Checchio was officially welcomed, the New Orleans Archdiocese and its insurers reportedly agreed to pay $305 million to about 600 abuse survivors who were involved in the bankruptcy.
Aymond Forced to Set Up Meetings With Some Survivors
WVUE, a Fox affiliate, says that as part of the settlement, Aymond set up meetings with some of the survivors. On January 3, he also sent a letter of apology, but some survivors didn’t accept it.
When WWL asked Aymond why the meetings were set for Carnival and Super Bowl weekend, he said he wasn’t sure when his resignation would be accepted and wanted to meet with survivors first.
On Wednesday, PEOPLE got in touch with the New Orleans Archdiocese to ask for their comment. “No settlement can undo decades of trauma,” Thomas said. “The true measure of justice will be whether the Church prioritizes survivors over institutional reputation and commits to meaningful, lasting change that protects children going forward.”
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