Father Patrick Wattigny is now under investigation by St.
Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The priest reportedly admitted to abusing a child back in December 2013 to Archbishop Gregory Aymond.
Aymond acted immediately in removing Wattigny from his duties and promptly added him to the list of clergy credibly accused of sexual misconduct and abuse.
The abuse Wattigny admitted to performing came just after he was transferred from Metairie to Slidell
Though the archdiocese has refused to provide details about the alleged crime, they did report Wattigny to authorities.
According to the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate, Collin Sims, chief prosecutor St. Tammany Parish confirmed the archdiocese put the District Attorney’s office in the know.
Wattigny was ordered by Archbishop Aymond to immediately cease contact with a student he was texting because it violated the church’s policy over inappropriate electronic contact.
But Wattigny continued to text the boy until the Archbishop stepped in, order Wattigny to resign as chaplain of Pope John-Paul II School.
Upping the reaction from the Archdiocese, Wattigny was ordered to undergo psychological treatment and attend a 30-day retreat.
It was after the retreat and treatment Wattigny came clean to the Archbishop.
Asked for reaction to the investigation, Kevin Bourgeois with Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), told the paper: “We hope that the Sheriff’s Office conducts a fair and thorough investigation.”