NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Archbishop Gregory Aymond celebrates his 75th birthday on Tuesday, Nov. 12, and it could be a pivotal moment for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
Under canon law, Aymond now must submit his resignation letter to Pope Francis, who will either accept his resignation or ask that he remain as the archbishop of New Orleans.
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The archbishop’s resignation letter comes amid the archdiocese’s ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings as they work to settle hundreds of sexual abuse cases.
“I have the suspicion that Pope Francis will ask the archbishop to stay on [for] an extended period of time,” explained Fr. Bentley Anderson, S.J., a professor and the Rev. Stephen Duffy, chair in Catholic Studies at Loyola University. “It could be a few months; it could be a year or two. It depends on the process for finding a replacement.”
Anderson says if the Vatican accepts Aymond’s resignation, his successor likely would be someone with experience as a bishop.
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Aymond is the first New Orleanian to become archbishop of New Orleans.
“I think it’s good if they have somebody maybe within, and I’m sure they’re going to look outside, too,” said Jeff Vega, the owner of The Church Supply House in Metairie.
Vega has mixed feelings about the archbishop’s potential resignation because of their working relationship.
“I mean, it’s good and bad,” Vega said. “I mean it’s good for him, I mean, he’s been around a long time, and for us, he’s always supported us. So, that would be the bad.”
In a letter posted in the Clarion Herald, Aymond writes that he has offered to remain in office until the bankruptcy process is completed.
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“He does want to see, not only the chapter 11 proceedings conclude, I think he also wants to make sure that all folks who are affected by the sexual abuse scandal are properly dealt with,” said Anderson.
The archbishop also wrote that it is not unusual for a bishop to remain in office after the celebration of his 75th birthday.
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