The new archbishop of New Orleans has also shown support for heterodox Jesuit priest Father James Martin. In 2018, he invited Martin to speak in the diocese and even extended an invitation to his private residence before the talk. “Martin gushed about it on Twitter, thanking Checchio for standing against ‘hateful’ critics while promoting his pro-LGBT message,” LifeSiteNews Editor-in-Chief John-Henry Westen noted in a video posted on X.
Thu Feb 12, 2026 - 11:12 am ESTFri Feb 13, 2026 - 6:13 am EST (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Leo XIV, on Wednesday, officially named Bishop James F. Checchio, the former bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey, with long ties to disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, as the new archbishop of New Orleans. In the February 11 bulletin, the Vatican announced that Leo has officially accepted the resignation of Archbishop Gregory Michael Aymond and named Checchio, 59, who had served as the coadjutor archbishop since September, as the new archbishop of New Orleans. In 33 years as a priest, Checchio has allegedly covered up the abuse of the late disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, has expressed support for Father James Martin’s dissident pro-LGBT ministry, and previously suppressed the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) as the archbishop of New Orleans. Pope Leo XIV Accepts Resignation of Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans; Succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop James Checchio Read the full release at: …