New Orleans has always been a city with a unique cultural and social fabric, where sports have long been a central part of its identity. The city is home to two of the most beloved franchises in the NFL and NBA: the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans. But recently, these teams found themselves in the midst of a scandal that transcends the sports world—a scandal that ties their names to a much larger and deeply troubling issue: the sexual abuse scandal within the Catholic Church.
This scandal has rocked the city to its core, especially with the involvement of figures closely connected to the sports teams. The intertwining of the Saints, the Pelicans, and the abuse scandal has raised eyebrows not just in New Orleans, but across the country. While it may seem that sports and the church are worlds apart, this entanglement has uncovered a darker side to both the city’s beloved franchises and its powerful religious institutions.
### **The Roots of the Scandal: A History of Abuse and Cover-ups**
At the heart of the controversy is a long-standing issue within the Catholic Church, particularly within the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Over the years, multiple reports and investigations have uncovered the widespread abuse of minors by clergy members, dating back decades. The public revelation of these abuses, and the subsequent cover-ups by Church officials, has led to a deep crisis of trust in the institution, as well as calls for accountability and justice.
The scandal in New Orleans came to a head with the release of a comprehensive report in 2020, which identified over 50 priests who had been credibly accused of sexually abusing minors. This report, which came after years of legal battles and advocacy by survivors, was a bombshell. It forced the Archdiocese of New Orleans to release the names of those clergy members, many of whom had been protected by the Church for years, despite their known actions.
But what makes this scandal particularly complex is the role played by some of New Orleans’ most powerful figures, many of whom had close ties to the city’s most iconic institutions—the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans. The intersection of these sports teams with the abuse scandal isn’t just coincidental; it’s a tragic reflection of how power, influence, and money can be used to silence victims and protect abusers.
### **The Saints, the Pelicans, and the Church: The Shared Connection**
Both the Saints and the Pelicans are owned by a prominent family in New Orleans—the Benson family. Tom Benson, who passed away in 2018, was the long-time owner of both teams, and his wife, Gayle Benson, took over as the owner of the franchises following his death. The Benson family has been central to the identity of New Orleans sports for decades, and their influence extends far beyond the realm of athletics.
What has emerged in recent years is that several members of the Benson family had ties to key figures within the Catholic Church in New Orleans, some of whom have been directly or indirectly linked to the abuse scandal. These connections have caused a public outcry, as the community grapples with the reality that some of the most powerful people in the city were either unaware of, or perhaps complicit in, the abuse and cover-ups that plagued the Church for so long.
The Benson family’s association with the Church is not new. Tom Benson was a regular figure at church events and supported Catholic organizations throughout New Orleans. He was known to contribute substantial donations to various charities and church initiatives. These philanthropic efforts were widely celebrated, and his connections with Church leadership were considered a significant part of his public persona.
However, as more information came to light about the Church’s mishandling of sexual abuse allegations, questions began to arise about the extent to which the Benson family was aware of the scandal. While there is no direct evidence that the Bensons were involved in any cover-ups, their ties to the Church have added a layer of controversy to the situation. Several members of the Church’s hierarchy, including priests accused of abuse, were known to have attended high-profile events involving the Saints and the Pelicans, leading some to question whether the sports organizations were unwittingly providing a platform for individuals with such troubling backgrounds.
### **The Role of Gayle Benson: A Leader Caught in the Crossfire**
After the passing of her husband, Gayle Benson inherited the ownership of both the Saints and the Pelicans. As a prominent businesswoman and philanthropist in her own right, Gayle quickly became a key figure in the New Orleans sports scene. However, her role as the owner of two major sports franchises in a city deeply affected by the abuse scandal has placed her in a difficult position.
While Gayle Benson has been lauded for her leadership in some quarters—particularly for her efforts to stabilize the Saints and Pelicans following Tom Benson’s death—her connection to the Church has made her a focal point for criticism in the wake of the abuse revelations. As the head of one of the wealthiest families in the city, Gayle’s financial influence has long been felt in both sports and charitable circles, but her proximity to the Church has raised uncomfortable questions.
In 2020, following the release of the abuse report, Gayle Benson and other members of the New Orleans sports community were pressured to take a stand against the Church’s actions. Calls for her to publicly address the scandal and sever any remaining ties to the Archdiocese of New Orleans grew louder, as many felt that silence was tantamount to complicity. Gayle, for her part, expressed sympathy for the victims but stopped short of publicly distancing herself from the Church or her association with those implicated in the scandal.
### **The Public Outcry: Fans, Survivors, and the Fight for Justice**
The public response to the entanglement of the Saints, Pelicans, and the Church has been swift and emotional. Survivors of abuse have been vocal in their calls for accountability, not just within the Church, but from the organizations and individuals who may have inadvertently supported or enabled the abuse. While the Saints and Pelicans are not directly responsible for the actions of the Church, their connection to influential figures within the Archdiocese has created a complex web of relationships that has left many fans and advocates frustrated.
For many fans of both the Saints and the Pelicans, the scandal has been a source of profound disappointment. The teams they loved and supported had become embroiled in a mess that had nothing to do with football or basketball—but everything to do with power, corruption, and abuse. The question on many minds was simple: how could institutions so central to New Orleans pride and joy be tied to something so horrific?
While both the Saints and Pelicans have remained largely silent on the specifics of their involvement in the scandal, the silence has done little to quell public anger. Many survivors, especially those who had trusted the Church to protect them, feel betrayed by the institutions they once believed in. They have made it clear that their fight for justice isn’t over, and they want to see accountability at every level, whether it’s the Catholic Church, the Benson family, or other powerful figures who may have been complicit in the cover-up.
### **A City Divided: The Road to Healing**
As New Orleans continues to deal with the fallout from the abuse scandal, the Saints and Pelicans, once symbols of civic pride, have become entangled in a much larger fight for justice. The scandal has exposed deep fractures in the city’s social fabric, where power, influence, and sports are often interconnected in ways that many may not have understood.
For the victims of abuse, this entanglement has been yet another layer of pain and frustration. But for the people of New Orleans, it is also an opportunity for reflection and change. How can a city that prides itself on its culture and community begin to heal from such deep wounds? The journey is long, but it begins with transparency, accountability, and the recognition that no institution—be it a religious organization or a sports team—should be above scrutiny.
In the end, the Saints, Pelicans, and the Archdiocese of New Orleans must reckon with their connections to this dark chapter in the city’s history. Only through honest dialogue and true accountability can New Orleans begin to rebuild the trust that has been shattered, both in its sports teams and its institutions of faith.
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