Monsignor John Sax
Archdiocese of New Orleans
Ordained: 1973
Removed: 2004
Assigned as follows:
- St. Gabriel the Archangel (New Orleans, LA)
- St. Clement of Rome (Metairie, LA)
- St. Raphael the Archangel (New Orleans, LA)
- Resurrection of Our Lord (New Orleans, LA)
- St. Rita's (New Orleans, LA)
- St. Francis of Assisi (New Orleans, LA)
- St. Louis Cathedral (New Orleans, LA)
- St. Peter's (Reserve, LA)
- St. John Vianney Villa (Marrero, LA)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Monsignor John Sax:
Monsignor John Sax was a prominent New Orleans priest and the Archdiocesan director of priest personnel from 1991 to 1999. He helped draft the Archdiocese of New Orleans' 1993 sex-abuse policy.
According to media reports, in a lawsuit filed May 2001, a man said that in January 2000, he told an unidentified priest in Reserve that he had been sexually abused by the then Father John Sax starting when he was a 10-year-old altar boy. It was the same month that the priest was elevated to monsignor. The lawsuit said the alleged victim was put in touch with a therapist, whose bills were paid by the Archdiocese.
The suit was not served until 2002. In May 2002, Monsignor Sax, who was a friend of the victim's family, admitted that from 1980 to 1985 he repeatedly sexually abused the boy at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Reserve. He had the boy do odd jobs at the rectory, sometimes until it was too late to take the boy home at night.
"I don't want this to happen to no other person," the victim said. "I've been bearing this cross for the last 22 years and I just need to take this cross and throw it off my shoulders and get on with my life."
After the allegation was reported, Monsignor Sax was placed on leave. He was removed from ministry in 2004. His current whereabouts are unknown.
In November 2018, his name appeared publicly on the Archdiocese of New Orleans' list of clergy credibly accused of sex abuse of minors.
In response to a reporter asking if he was sorry, Monsignor Sax said, "I've already done that 17 years ago. I apologized then; I apologize now. I'm sorry. I regret what I did. The name is correct, that's on the list. I'm sorry, that's all I can say. I'm sorry, I regret it."
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims of sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The Archdiocese of New Orleans filed for federal bankruptcy protection in April 2020. Our lawyers are now offering free legal consultations to discuss your legal options as a survivor of sexual abuse by priests and other employees of the New Orleans Archdiocese.
Very strict filing deadlines will soon be set by the Bankruptcy Court. Most victims of abuse will never be able to recover damages if they miss this deadline, so please contact us to discuss your case today. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an e-mail to adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com.