Arrest of priest for indecent behavior with a child reignites scandal in Louisiana diocese

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NightHex

A Louisiana priest has been arrested on charges of indecent behavior with a child, reigniting a scandal in the diocese where allegations of clergy abuse have long been a major concern. Korey LaVergne, 37, was jailed on Friday after being booked into the Acadia parish lockup on three counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile. He had just finished presiding over mass at St Edward church in Richard, Louisiana, hours earlier.

LaVergne's arrest comes amid a backdrop of ongoing investigations and lawsuits related to clergy abuse claims within the Lafayette diocese. The diocese recently disclosed that it could lose up to $162 million due to pending litigation.

The latest allegations against LaVergne were made by Acadia parish sheriff KP Gibson, who stated that his agency had received a report about "possible misconduct" by the cleric. However, details of the allegations remain unclear, with Gibson saying that his office will issue a news release once the investigation is complete.

LaVergne's arrest has sparked outrage among abuse survivors and advocacy groups, who are calling for greater accountability within the diocese. The executive director of TentMakers of Louisiana, a non-profit group supporting Catholic clergy sex abuse survivors, described the incident as "heartbreaking" and emphasized the need for immediate, transparent, and enforced action to prevent further harm.

The arrest is also a concern given LaVergne's previous role within the diocese, where he had been appointed pastor of St Edward church in July 2021. Online videos show him welcoming visiting students from an elementary Catholic school shortly before his arrest.

The scandal has reignited concerns about clergy abuse and accountability within the Lafayette diocese, which has been embroiled in controversy for decades over its handling of allegations related to priest Gilbert Gauthe. Gauthe pleaded guilty to molesting several boys in 1985 and served 10 years in prison; he now lives in Texas and continues to be named in lawsuits from victims seeking damages.

The diocese's financial struggles have been well-documented, with the diocese disclosing potential losses of up to $162 million due to pending litigation. This comes as the Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans agreed last year to pay around $305 million to roughly 600 survivors of clergy molestation, in a deal that helped limit the financial fallout from the global church's clergy abuse scandal.

Lawmakers in Louisiana have taken steps to support victims of long-ago sexual molestation, passing a law in 2021 that enables survivors to pursue civil damages in court. However, this move was opposed by the Lafayette diocese and its lawyers, who argued that it would be unconstitutional.

The arrest of Korey LaVergne has sparked calls for greater accountability within the diocese and renewed concerns about the scourge of clergy abuse within the Catholic Church.
 
🚨 just heard about this priest getting arrested in Louisiana and I'm shocked 🤯. It's like, how many times do we need to see this happen before we do something about it? The fact that he was a pastor at a church just hours before his arrest is wild 😲. And the diocese is still dealing with allegations from years ago, like Gilbert Gauthe, who got away with some serious crimes 🤕.

I'm so tired of hearing about this stuff and not seeing real change 💔. We need to hold these institutions accountable for their actions and make sure that victims are supported and protected 💪. The fact that the diocese is struggling financially but can't seem to get it together on issues like this is just infuriating 😤.

I hope this arrest sparks some real action and reforms within the diocese 🔄. We need to create a system where priests and other clergy members are held to high standards of behavior, not just by the church, but by law enforcement and society as a whole 🔒. Anything less is just unacceptable 🚫.
 
😔👎 this is so sad. another priest getting caught up in some pretty serious allegations. can't help but think about all those victims out there who are still suffering from the trauma caused by people in positions of power like that. it's just heartbreaking when you hear stories like gilbert gauthe's and now korey lavergne's. how do we even hope to prevent this kind of thing from happening in the future? more needs to be done to hold these institutions accountable, imo 💔
 
🤕 Man, this is just devastating to see another priest get busted for messing with a kid. I mean, I'm all for giving people second chances, but come on! You're a supposed leader in the community and you're doing that? It's like, what were they thinking when they appointed him as pastor of St Edward church? 🙄

And now we're seeing this whole mess unfold with the diocese potentially losing hundreds of millions of dollars due to lawsuits. I feel bad for the victims who have already gone through so much trauma, and the ones who haven't yet... it's like, what can they even do at this point? The system is just so broken.

You know, back in my day (no pun intended), we didn't put up with this kind of stuff. There were consequences for people who messed with kids, and it was handled in a way that actually protected the victims. Now, it feels like the Church is still dragging its feet on making things right.

I don't know, maybe I'm just being old-school, but something needs to change here. We need to make sure that these kinds of cases get taken seriously and that people who are doing this kind of thing get held accountable. Otherwise, we're just perpetuating the problem. 🤷‍♂️
 
omg can't believe this 🤯 just when u thought things couldn't get worse for the catholic church, this guy gets arrested for indecent behavior with a kid 🚔 meanwhile they're dealing with $162 million in potential losses due to pending litigation 💸 and still no real fix for the clergy abuse scandal 😡
 
this is getting too fishy, ya know? 🤔 first a priest gets arrested for indecent behavior with a kid, and now the whole diocese is in crisis mode... $162 million lost in lawsuits, victims coming forward left and right... what's really going on here? 👀 is it just one bad apple or is this systemic? i mean, we all know about Gilbert Gauthe, he was able to get off scot-free for like 10 years... now the diocese is trying to cover up another scandal. 🚫 and what about the law that just passed in 2021? did they really think it would make a difference if someone in their ranks got caught? 🤷‍♂️ this whole thing stinks of a cover-up to me... 😒
 
OMG u guys cant 2 b more shocked!!! 🤯 This guy Korey LaVergne was arresed 4 indecent behavior w/ a child during mass lol what r we even doin in 2025?!? 🙄 like, how can this happen again?! We need 2 b more vigilant about these things its not ok 2 me & im not alone. The diocese is all up in flames rn & I'm lowkey worried bout the victims & their families. $162 million in losses sounds crazy but at least the church is gettin held accountable (somewhat). U gotta wonder how many others r still out there like Korey. We need 2 keep pushing 4 change & make sure these creeps cant hide behind robes no more 💁‍♀️
 
😱 THIS IS SO SAD THE FACT THAT A Priest WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BE A ROLE MODEL CAN BE CAUGHT UP IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS JUST DISGUSTING 💔 I FEEL SO BAD FOR THE VICTIM AND THEIR FAMILIES 🤕 IT'S NOT OKAY FOR ANYONE TO ABUSE POWER LIKE THIS AND GET AWAY WITH IT 💪 WE NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN OUR INSTITUTIONS ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS 🚫
 
🤦‍♂️ another priest caught with his pants down... literally 😂, I mean, who needs a sermon on humility when you're a priest accused of abuse? 🙄 Korey LaVergne's arrest is a wake-up call for the Lafayette diocese to take accountability seriously. 162 million dollars in potential losses due to pending litigation is just a drop in the bucket compared to the emotional and psychological toll on victims. 👮‍♂️ The fact that he was presiding over mass hours before his arrest is just cherry-picking the best part of the story - the "ministering" part, not the misconduct 😒.
 
man i cant even right now reading this news about la vergne im thinking its like a whole new scandal every few months in that diocese why didnt they catch him sooner or was it just a blind spot? and what kinda system is that where u can be presiding over mass one minute and get arrested the next 🤯 anyway, its gotta stop these kids deserve better than some dude who cant even keep his hands to himself.
 
man this is so messed up 🤕 Korey LaVergne getting arrested for indecent behavior with a kid is just another example of how some people in power can't even be trusted 😩 and the fact that he was at mass hours before getting arrested is just wild 🙄 I mean what's going through his mind? 🤔 and the diocese is still dealing with these allegations and now they're losing millions 🤑 like, can't they just get it together? 👀
 
🤕 This is a really disturbing development - another priest getting arrested for misconduct with a child. I mean, it's just unacceptable that this kind of thing keeps happening in the church. It's heartbreaking to think about all the kids who have been affected by these predators and how they're still having to deal with the trauma years after the abuse happened.

I'm worried about the diocese's response to this - are they going to take it seriously? Are they going to actually do something to prevent more abuse from happening in the future? I feel like the lack of transparency is really concerning, especially given the financial struggles they're already facing. It's not just a matter of throwing money at the problem, but also taking real steps to hold people accountable.

I'm glad that lawmakers have taken steps to support victims of clergy molestation, but it's clear that more needs to be done. We need to see some real change within the church and diocese before we can start to feel like progress is being made. This arrest has definitely reignited concerns about accountability, and I hope it brings about some much-needed changes 🤞
 
OMG, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one 🤯. Another priest caught up in a scandal... it's like, we thought we'd seen it all, but nope! 😩 How can someone in a position of power, especially one who's supposed to be leading a community towards faith and love, engage in such behavior? It just breaks my heart for the kids involved 🤕. And can you even imagine how the parents feel right now? 😱 I'm all about holding people accountable, but at the same time, I want to see justice served without causing more harm or perpetuating a cycle of trauma. 💔 The Catholic Church has been through so much already, it's like they're constantly playing catch-up 🕰️. I hope this brings about real change and not just another PR stunt 📺. We need to keep pushing for transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to protecting our most vulnerable members of society 👶💪
 
🤕 This is a really disturbing development, especially since this guy was just presiding over mass hours before he got arrested! It's hard to believe that there are still people in positions of power who can't be trusted, let alone those who are supposed to be spiritual leaders.

The fact that there have been ongoing investigations and lawsuits related to clergy abuse claims within the Lafayette diocese is a major red flag. And now this new arrest has brought even more attention to the issue. It's heartbreaking for the survivors of abuse and their families who have already had to deal with so much trauma and pain.

It's also really concerning that the diocese is struggling financially, which might make it harder to take responsibility for its actions. We need to make sure that there are consequences for those in power who abuse their position, and that we're supporting the survivors and creating a safer community for everyone 🤝.
 
I'm so worried about this latest scandal 🤕. I mean, 37 is still pretty young to be in a position like that, and you've got allegations of indecent behavior with a child... it's just horrific. But at the same time, I feel like we need to hold our bishops accountable for their actions (or lack thereof). I remember all those years ago when Gilbert Gauthe was implicated, and now here we are again... it's like Groundhog Day 🕰️.

And can you believe the diocese is losing millions? Like, $162 million? That's a lot of money that could be going towards real help for victims, not just lawyers fees. I'm glad they're finally taking steps to support survivors, but we need more than just lip service (no pun intended).

I'm all for greater accountability, but we also have to consider the bigger picture here... are we just perpetuating a cycle of trauma and abuse? How do we ensure that victims can get real justice without creating another crisis? It's like trying to solve a puzzle with too many pieces missing 🤯.
 
🤕 This is so sad, another priest arrested for doing something super wrong with a kid... like what even happens in these situations? 🙄 Can't they see that's not cool? The church has to do better than just making excuses and passing laws to help victims... it's time for real change! 👊
 
🤕 just heard about this super disturbing news 🤯. another priest arrested for abusing a child in louisiana, it's like we're stuck in some kind of nightmare 😩. how can something like this keep happening? 🤔 i feel so bad for the victims who are still living with the trauma 💔. and now the diocese is facing huge financial losses and more lawsuits... it's just getting out of control 🚨. we need to see real change and accountability here, not just empty promises or statements 🙄. clergy abuse survivors deserve justice and support, not more secrecy and silence 🤐.
 
😒 another priest gets caught 🤦‍♂️. honestly, how many times do we need to see this before we just give up? it's like they're trying to cover their tracks or something. i'm not surprised though, these allegations have been brewing for years and no one does anything about it until someone else gets caught in the crossfire 🚔.

and now we gotta deal with the aftermath... victims getting screwed over financially, lawyers digging up old wounds, and the diocese just trying to save face 🤡. it's like they're expecting us to forget that this is what happened in 1985 🙄. newsflash: it still happens today, and it's still unacceptable.

i'm all for holding people accountable, but come on... can't we do better than this? 🤔 the diocese has been struggling with these allegations for years, and now they're expecting us to just trust them again? please 🙅‍♂️. we need real change, not just a bunch of PR spin 💁‍♀️.
 
I'm totally on board with the need for stricter controls around our church institutions... no, wait, I mean, aren't we just enabling these types of situations by having laws that allow them to operate? 🤔‍♂️ Like, if we're gonna be all tough on pedophiles, shouldn't that include clergy too? But at the same time, don't our new laws in Louisiana actually help victims... or do they? I mean, if the diocese can just take out a big chunk of cash to pay off lawsuits and then use it to maintain their image, doesn't that kinda defeat the purpose of those laws? 🤑 It's all so confusing... 😕
 
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