NEW ORLEANS — The leader of the Catholic Church in New Orleans has publicly denied allegations that he dismissed key figures from a church-related food bank due to their refusal to allocate funds towards settling clergy sexual abuse claims. This assertion was made in a video statement released recently by Archbishop Gregory Aymond.
Two members of the board who were removed claimed they were ousted after resisting pressure to redirect approximately $16 million from the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana to aid the Archdiocese’s ongoing bankruptcy negotiations with numerous survivors of sexual abuse. The food bank reportedly distributes more than 39 million pounds of food and groceries annually to families across Southern Louisiana.
According to remarks made by Bert Wilson, the board chair who was also let go, former CEO Natalie Jayroe was committed to maintaining the intended purpose of donor contributions, which is to combat hunger and food insecurity in the region. Jayroe, who had led the organization for 19 years, reportedly declined to facilitate the reallocation of these funds. She has not provided any comments following requests made via LinkedIn.
In his video, Aymond countered claims that the archdiocese was “stealing money from the hungry,” asserting that discussions regarding the $16 million were merely theoretical and intended for Second Harvest to distance itself from church assets. He mentioned that the removal of the CEO and board members resulted from their refusal to sign a “tolling agreement,” which would limit liability for church-associated entities during the bankruptcy process. The deadline given for signing this agreement was January 31.
Another dismissed board member, Nick Karl, contested the validity of this deadline, asserting that a court had set it for May 1, and that the food bank’s executive team was actively reviewing the agreement. He expressed concerns that the archdiocese acted prematurely in firing the three board members and the CEO, which he believed revealed their underlying motivations.
Aymond proceeded to appoint Dirk Wild, the archdiocese’s chief financial officer, as the interim CEO and introduced three new board members. Together, they stated that maintaining the daily operations of the food bank and ensuring continued services would be their primary focus. Wild has not responded to requests for further comment.
John Sillars, the Chief Strategy Officer at Second Harvest, reassured the public and donors that no funds would be diverted from their intended purpose, emphasizing that every dollar would strictly support food security initiatives. The organization aims to maintain donor trusts and keep existing projects on track.
Feeding America, a donor to Second Harvest, echoed the importance of proper fund allocation in a statement, emphasizing adherence to commitments made for resource utilization.
James Adams, a survivor of clergy abuse engaged in legal action against the archdiocese, suggested that Aymond could simply relinquish control of the food bank, allowing it to proceed with its mission without interference. Adams expressed that survivors desire a resolution to the abuse lawsuits and noted that the actions of the archdiocese left creditors with limited options for negotiating settlements.
Amid growing demands for accountability, Aymond has resisted calls from survivors to resign, despite the archdiocese facing federal scrutiny for its inaction on credible abuse allegations spanning several decades. An investigation earlier highlighted the involvement of high-ranking officials with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints in the church’s damage control efforts.
To meet the financial obligations to abuse survivors, the church sold properties worth over $13 million, as reported in December.
