The Roman Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans is moving to remove a priest's name from a chapel he fundraised and helped construct, as the clergyman faces a criminal trial in Texas on serious allegations involving the sexual abuse of three women from his congregation.
Anthony Odiong, 57, raised approximately $600,000 to build Our Lady of Guadalupe Healing Chapel in Luling, Louisiana, which opened in 2020 while he served as pastor at an adjacent church. His name appears on various plaques and inscriptions throughout the structure. Multiple sources say those recognitions are scheduled for removal as the archdiocese works to comply with a broader settlement agreement tied to its bankruptcy case.
In 2022, the second-oldest Catholic archdiocese in the United States filed for bankruptcy protection in response to mounting financial claims from clergy abuse cases. The settlement included a non-monetary provision requiring the removal of "all plaques, pictures, statues or other public recognition" of clergy abusers from archdiocese properties. An engraved quote attributed to Odiong currently adorns a marble donor slab at the chapel, reading: "The Mission of building Mother Mary's house in Luling, Louisiana, is a labor of love."
Odiong landed on an archdiocese-curated list of clergy with credible abuse allegations after his arrest in July 2024 by Waco, Texas police. Prosecutors charged him with sexual exploitation of three women, exploiting their emotional dependency on him as their spiritual adviser. Texas law classifies the conduct as felony offenses. He faces five first-degree sexual assault charges and two second-degree charges. A trial was tentatively scheduled for May 26, and Odiong faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted on first-degree charges.
Odiong has denied all wrongdoing and remains in custody with bail set at $5.5 million.
The trail leading to charges began when a woman brought a Guardian article about Odiong to Waco police in early 2024, alleging he had sexually assaulted her in 2012. Subsequent investigation by Waco detective Bradley DeLange identified as many as 10 women Odiong is suspected of victimizing through his ministry in Texas and within the New Orleans archdiocese. Many cases did not result in criminal charges, but authorities had sufficient evidence to prosecute allegations involving three of the women.
At a November 2024 preliminary hearing, prosecutors revealed evidence that Odiong fathered at least one child with a woman he met through his clerical work, violating the Catholic priesthood's vow of celibacy. That woman is not among the three victims named in current charges, but prosecutors argue the child demonstrates a pattern of Odiong pursuing women through his pastoral position.
Odiong was ordained in Nigeria in 1993 and developed a following for prayer services where some congregants reported healing from ailments. He transferred to the Austin, Texas region in 2006 under then-bishop Gregory Aymond. When Aymond became archbishop of New Orleans, Odiong began working within that archdiocese in 2015.
The archdiocese prohibited Odiong from ministry in December 2023, citing clerical misconduct with multiple women without elaborating. Texas authorities arrested him in Florida approximately seven months later.
The archdiocese declined to comment specifically about Odiong's case but confirmed that removing public recognition of credibly accused clergy adheres to its bankruptcy settlement terms. It remains unclear when the plaques bearing his name will be taken down from the chapel.
Author James Rodriguez: "The archdiocese's removal of Odiong's name from a building he bankrolled underscores just how thoroughly his alleged crimes have upended his legacy, but the timing raises questions about whether institutions acted quickly enough when warning signs emerged."
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