Losing Faith: A monster emerges in our midst
This is Part 1 of a three-part series focusing on the pedophilia cases against the late Catholic deacon George Brignac. Author: By David Hammer / Eyewitness Investigator, Ramon Antonio Vargas / The New Orleans Advocate Published: 3:59 PM CST December 16, 2020 Updated: 8:30 PM CST December 18, 2020
NEW ORLEANS It was 1953, and George Brignac was fresh out of high school when he joined the regional chapter of the Christian Brothers.
He spent seven years with the Catholic order, which founded four well-known local schools: St. Paul’s in Covington, De La Salle and Christian Brothers in New Orleans, and Archbishop Rummel in Metairie. But, by 1960, the order had expelled him.
Losing Faith: Prosecutors, victims reflect on pain deacon George Brignac wrought for decades
George Brignac was among the most prolific abusers on the roster of molesting clergymen that the New Orleans Archdiocese released in 2018. Author: WWL Staff Updated: 10:26 PM CST December 18, 2020
NEW ORLEANS For Leon Cannizzaro, preparing to leave office after 12 years as Orleans Parish district attorney, one defendant that was in his sights and got away is a particularly vexing one: the inveterate child molester and former Catholic deacon George Brignac.
Cannizzaro had more than two years left in his final term when the local archdiocese in November 2018 released the first version of a list of clerics who had been credibly accused of child molestation over the decades.
Losing Faith: A monster emerges in our midst
This is Part 1 of a three-part series focusing on the pedophilia cases against the late Catholic deacon George Brignac. Author: By David Hammer / Eyewitness Investigator, Ramon Antonio Vargas / The New Orleans Advocate Published: 4:59 PM EST December 16, 2020 Updated: 9:30 PM EST December 18, 2020
NEW ORLEANS It was 1953, and George Brignac was fresh out of high school when he joined the regional chapter of the Christian Brothers.
He spent seven years with the Catholic order, which founded four well-known local schools: St. Paul’s in Covington, De La Salle and Christian Brothers in New Orleans, and Archbishop Rummel in Metairie. But, by 1960, the order had expelled him.
Losing Faith: Despite predatory past, deacon welcomed back to Catholic institutions
This is Part 2 in a three-part series on 50 years of pedophilia allegations against Catholic deacon George Brignac. Author: David Hammer, Ramon Antonio Vargas Published: 11:57 AM EST December 17, 2020 Updated: 9:35 PM EST December 18, 2020
NEW ORLEANS Anyone else in George Brignac’s shoes saddled with the disgrace that accompanies his name might have gotten the hell out of Dodge and tried to reinvent himself, to outrun the shame.
Over the 12 years he served as a deacon at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, beginning in 1976, Brignac had been accused of molesting at least five boys and was arrested by authorities at least three times.
A Monster in our Midst: The Story of George Brignac
It was 1953, and George Brignac was fresh out of high school when he joined the regional chapter of the Christian Brothers.
He spent seven years with the Catholic order, which founded four well-known local schools: St. Paul’s in Covington, De La Salle and Christian Brothers in New Orleans, and Archbishop Rummel in Metairie. But, by 1960, the order had expelled him.
Brignac told some people it was for “reasons of health.” Another time, his superior in the order said Brignac found “obedience difficult.”
Years later, his twin, a priest named Horace L. “H.L.” Brignac, revealed the truth in a statement to police: George Brignac had been “too friendly with boys.”