New Orleans Saints' Involvement in Clergy Abuse Crisis Revealed Through Leaked Emails

NEW ORLEANS -- As New Orleans church leaders prepared for the repercussions of releasing a list of predatory Catholic priests, they collaborated with an unexpected partner: the front office of the city's NFL team, the New Orleans Saints.

This partnership led to an intense crisis-communications strategy, spearheaded by the Saints' president and other high-ranking officials, as uncovered by several internal emails obtained by The Associated Press.

The emails suggest that Saints executives were more deeply involved in the church's public relations strategy than previously acknowledged, shedding new light on the efforts initiated by the team's owner, a devoted Catholic, and his close ties to the local archbishop.

Various New Orleans institutions, including local media and a sitting federal judge, came together in support of the church leaders during this pivotal moment.

Key revelations from the Saints' emails include:

• Saints executives participated significantly in managing the church's damage control, even briefing a team spokesperson on the outcome of a crucial call with the city’s top prosecutor shortly before the list was released.
• Saints officials were among the first to review the list of accused clergymen, which was carefully curated but allegedly incomplete, exposing the church to civil claims and scrutiny from law enforcement.
• The Saints' president prepared over a dozen questions for the archbishop to address during media encounters, indicating a coordinated messaging strategy.
• Saints senior vice president of communications provided updates on local media engagements, reinforcing the unified front between church and team leadership.

The content of these emails significantly contradicts earlier assertions made by the Saints, who claimed in 2018 that they had provided only minimal assistance to the church during the crisis. The emails reveal a complex relationship as the Saints sought to contain the fallout from the clergy abuse scandal.

State Rep. Mandie Landry expressed her dismay, stating, "As a New Orleans resident, taxpayer and Catholic, it doesn't make any sense to me why the Saints would go to these lengths to protect grown men who raped children."

The Saints have since distanced themselves from this collaboration, asserting that no current employees were involved in modifying the list or making recommendations regarding it. However, the fallout continues, with survivors of clergy abuse feeling betrayed and questioning what other information might be concealed.

Notably, the emails demonstrate a network of support among New Orleans institutions, with federal judges and media leaders encouraging the church's response to the abuse crisis.

This cooperation occurred amidst ongoing litigation involving hundreds who claim they were abused by clergy, with investigations led by the FBI and Louisiana State Police into misconduct by church leaders.

As these controversies unfold, the implications for the Saints and their involvement in the church’s public relations strategy extend beyond the realm of football, drawing scrutiny from various stakeholders.