In a landmark case that has sent shockwaves through the Catholic community in New Orleans, a retired priest, Lawrence Hecker, 93, was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after pleading guilty to child rape earlier this month. The sentencing hearing marked a significant moment in the city’s ongoing clergy abuse scandal, as survivors delivered emotional impact statements detailing the lasting trauma inflicted by Hecker’s crimes.
Survivors Confront Their Abuser
The courtroom was charged with emotion as several of Hecker’s victims, now adults, took the stand to address their abuser directly. One survivor, who was approximately 16 years old when Hecker raped him in 1975, recounted the devastating impact the assault had on his life:
I don’t forgive him. In my opinion, the archdiocese should be sitting there with him – because they are complicit in this as well.
Another survivor, Aaron Hebert, who had previously spoken publicly about being fondled by Hecker under the guise of a hernia exam, labeled the former priest “Satan in priest clothing” and invoked a biblical verse to condemn his actions:
If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me harm, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
A Decades-Long Cover-Up
The case against Hecker exposed a decades-long cover-up engineered by Roman Catholic church officials in New Orleans. Despite admitting in writing to church leaders in 1999 that he had molested or sexually harassed several children, Hecker was allowed to return to work before retiring a few years later. The archdiocese waited until 2018 to notify the public of the substantial, credible child sexual abuse allegations against Hecker and dozens of other clergymen.
A Landmark Conviction
Hecker’s guilty plea and subsequent life sentence marked the first time in recent memory that a Catholic clergyman in New Orleans has been convicted of child rape, one of the most harshly punished crimes under Louisiana law. The conviction stood in stark contrast to the case of George Brignac, another New Orleans clergyman who died in 2020 while awaiting trial on child rape charges, marking the fourth failed attempt by prosecutors to bring him to justice since the late 1970s.
Ongoing Investigations
The case against Hecker has since expanded into a broader investigation by Louisiana state police into whether the New Orleans Catholic archdiocese ran a child sex-trafficking ring responsible for the widespread abuse of minors dating back decades. According to court records, the lead investigator questioned Paul Calamari, the former principal of St. John Vianney high school, who admitted to sexually abusing a minor himself.
As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen whether any of Hecker’s enablers within the church hierarchy will face criminal charges for their role in the cover-up. However, the sentencing of Lawrence Hecker serves as a critical step forward in the pursuit of justice for survivors of clergy abuse in New Orleans and beyond.
- United States: Call or text the Childhelp abuse hotline at 800-422-4453 or visit childhelp.org for resources and to report child abuse. Adult survivors can find support at ascasupport.org.
- United Kingdom: The NSPCC offers support for children at 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child at 0808 800 5000. Adult survivors can contact the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) at 0808 801 0331.
- Australia: Children, young adults, parents, and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800, or Bravehearts at 1800 272 831. Adult survivors can contact Blue Knot Foundation at 1300 657 380.
- Other international resources can be found at Child Helplines International.
