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Guardian

Guardian

New Orleans archdiocese agrees to release secret files on clergy accused of child sexual abuse

Guardian
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Roman Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans has tentatively agreed to publicly release the confidential personnel files of priests and deacons faced with substantial allegations of child sexual abuse.

The church and more than 500 clergy abuse survivors remain miles apart on the monetary terms of a potential bankruptcy settlement.

A federal bankruptcy judge directed them to reach an agreement by late January .

The proposal includes removing “all plaques, pictures, statues or other public recognition’ of clergy molesters from archdiocesan properties .

The church’s previous failures with collecting and maintaining records of abuse complaints were on full display in 2020 , when WWL investigated multiple child molestation allegations against a then living priest named Brian Highfill .

The proposal mirrors action taken by John Wester , the Catholic archbishop of Santa Fe , New Mexico .