Two recent settlements involving decades-old sexual abuse allegations at Jesuit High School in New Orleans show that litigation involving Catholic institutions continues even as the Archdiocese of New Orleans bankruptcy moves toward resolution.
In August, The Guardian reported that Jesuit High had reached its second settlement in two months involving allegations of childhood sexual abuse by former school employees. The latest case was brought by a man who alleged that former Jesuit High janitor Pete Modica sexually abused him when he was 13 years old in 1978.
New Orleans attorney Soren Gisleson, a partner with Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain, represented plaintiffs in both recently settled cases along with attorneys Richard Trahant and John Denenea.
The Jesuit High lawsuits proceeded separately from the Archdiocese bankruptcy. That is an important point for survivors who may believe the bankruptcy resolved all clergy sexual abuse litigation involving Catholic institutions in the New Orleans area.
Louisiana survivors also still have until June 14, 2027, to pursue certain childhood sexual abuse cases that were previously barred by the statute of limitations.
What the Recent Jesuit High Cases Have Uncovered
The recent settlements involve allegations dating to the 1970s, but the litigation has produced information beyond what allegedly happened decades ago. It has also examined what Jesuit High knew about people working on its campus and how the school handled potential risks to students.
The plaintiff in the August settlement alleged that Modica sexually abused him in 1978. Modica had pleaded guilty in 1963 to molesting boys at a Jefferson Parish playground before later working at Jesuit High.
A separate lawsuit settled in June involved allegations that Modica and another former Jesuit High janitor, Gary Sanchez, sexually abused a boy on the school's campus during the 1970s. Sanchez was later convicted in an unrelated case of attempted rape of a 5-year-old boy and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
The Guardian reported that Jesuit High had paid at least nine settlements involving allegations against Modica.
The school's hiring of Modica became an issue during a deposition of former Jesuit High president Rev. Anthony McGinn. Gisleson questioned McGinn about whether the school should have investigated Modica's criminal history before hiring him. McGinn agreed that Jesuit should have conducted a criminal background check and that an adequate check would have prevented Modica from working at the school.
For attorneys investigating childhood sexual abuse involving an institution, evidence like that can broaden the inquiry beyond the actions of the alleged abuser.
“Cases involving abuse from decades ago are often about much more than the actions of one individual. We look at who put that person in a position of trust around children, what information was available, whether there were earlier warning signs, and how the institution responded.” - Soren Gisleson, Partner, Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain
Those investigations can involve personnel and assignment files, earlier complaints, school or church records, previous litigation, deposition testimony, and witnesses. Information developed in one case may also lead to evidence relevant to other allegations involving the same person or institution.
“Survivors sometimes believe that because the abuse happened 30, 40, or 50 years ago, there couldn't possibly be evidence left,” Gisleson said. “You can't make that determination based on the calendar alone. The question is what records, witnesses, and other evidence can still be found.”
Why the Archdiocese Bankruptcy Doesn't Necessarily Resolve Jesuit Abuse Cases
The Archdiocese of New Orleans filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2020 amid hundreds of sexual abuse allegations. After more than five years of litigation, a federal bankruptcy judge approved a $305 million settlement involving approximately 600 survivors.
Gisleson has also been involved in that proceeding. He and other attorneys representing survivors opposed an earlier proposed settlement before supporting a revised agreement after the guaranteed funding increased to $305 million.
But the recently settled Jesuit High lawsuits were not resolved through the Archdiocese bankruptcy.
The Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Catholic religious order, and Catholic religious orders and their affiliated institutions aren’t necessarily the same legal entities as a diocese or archdiocese.
That can make identifying the responsible institution an important part of investigating a Catholic sexual abuse case. Attorneys may need to determine who employed or assigned the alleged abuser, who supervised that person, which organization operated the school or ministry involved, and where relevant records are maintained.
“The Archdiocese bankruptcy is a major development, but survivors shouldn't automatically assume that it resolved every sexual abuse case involving a Catholic institution in Louisiana,” Gisleson said. “Religious orders and other institutions may present separate legal issues, and each situation has to be evaluated on its own facts.”
Other pending and recent Jesuit litigation underscores that point. As of The Guardian's August report, a lawsuit involving allegations against former Jesuit priest Claude Boudreaux remained unresolved and was scheduled for trial in November 2026.
In separate litigation involving former Jesuit priest Donald Dickerson, attorneys Trahant, Denenea and Gisleson also obtained Jesuit archival records concerning allegations made while Dickerson was studying for the priesthood and assigned to Jesuit High.
The cases show why resolving the Archdiocese bankruptcy doesn’t necessarily end litigation involving other Catholic institutions or religious orders.
Louisiana's June 14, 2027 Deadline Still Applies
The timing matters because Louisiana's childhood sexual abuse lookback window remains open.
Louisiana lawmakers created a three-year period in 2021 allowing certain childhood sexual abuse lawsuits that had previously been barred by the statute of limitations to move forward. After the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld the law in 2024, lawmakers extended the filing period for another three years.
The current deadline is June 14, 2027.
The law is not limited to abuse involving the Archdiocese of New Orleans or the Catholic Church. Depending on the circumstances, it can apply to childhood sexual abuse involving religious organizations, schools, youth programs, and other institutions.
The recent Jesuit High litigation also shows why the age of the allegations doesn’t necessarily answer whether a potential case can still be investigated. Records may remain, previous litigation may have uncovered relevant information, other survivors may have come forward, and an organization outside the Archdiocese may have had responsibility for the person or institution involved.
With the June 14, 2027 deadline approaching, survivors who experienced childhood sexual abuse through a religious organization, school, or other institution may want to determine which individuals and organizations could have been responsible and whether Louisiana law still provides an opportunity to pursue a case.
Soren Gisleson and Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain represent survivors of Louisiana sexual abuse, including cases involving religious institutions. Survivors with questions about the lookback deadline or whether the Archdiocese bankruptcy affects a potential case can contact HKGC for more information.
