Catholic church had been alerted to Texas priest’s sexual predation for years – but dawdled before acting

Anthony Odiong was the subject of a number of sexual misconduct complaints that the Catholic church was aware of. Photograph: Gerald Herbert/AP View image in fullscreen Anthony Odiong was the subject of a number of sexual misconduct complaints that the Catholic church was aware of. Photograph: Gerald Herbert/AP Catholic church had been alerted to Texas priest’s sexual predation for years – but dawdled before acting Church officials had extended the temporary term of Anthony Odiong, recently convicted of sexual assault, even after women came forward with allegations of abuse Key takeaways from the Guardian’s inquiry into the church’s handling of a predatory priest I nternal Catholic church files obtained by the Guardian reveal that clergy leaders wanted to quadruple what was supposed to be a temporary, three-year role as pastor at a suburban New Orleans church for a priest who had nearly a half-dozen women accusing him of sexual misconduct or unwanted advances while ministering to them. Anthony Odiong was supposed to be at the St Anthony of Padua church in Luling, Louisiana, from 2015 to 2018 when – toward the end of that time frame – his supervisors extended his stint by three years despite a series of misconduct complaints, including one that ultimately sent him to prison for life in June. By 2021, his superiors moved to prolong his stint another six years, until 2027 – despite having spoken to a woman who had come forward to accuse Odiong of an abusive, years-long sexual relationship. She was at least the fifth female congregant who had claimed enduring misconduct by Odiong after meeting him in his capacity as a priest. “You have served … with fidelity and dedication,” New Orleans’ archbishop at the time, Gregory Aymond , wrote to Odiong while affording him that six-year extension. “Thank you for … the faithful way in which you continue to carry out the ministry of Jesus Christ today.” Despite Catholic priests’ promise of sexual celibacy, Odiong subsequently fathered a child with a sixth woman whom he met through his clerical work. Only after all that did civil law enforcement – not church – authorities in Waco, Texas, where Odiong also previously ministered, finally hold him to account by convicting him of criminal clergy sexual abuse. That shocking chain of events is laid out in more than 200 pages of in-house church documents reviewed by the Guardian after a Waco jury found him guilty of first- and second-degree sexual assault on 29 May. That same jury sentenced him to life imprisonment four days later. View image in fullscreen Anthony Odiong in a photograph entered into evidence in his trial. The photograph has been blurred to protect the identities of the woman and the child. Photograph: District attorney of McClellan County As a whole, the documents divulge that Catholic church leaders for a region including Waco had received a significant number of misconduct complaints against Odiong while he was still in the middle of working there fro