Fr. Richard Raphael Archer O.P.
Archdiocese of New Orleans / Dominican Friars
Ordained: 1958
Removed: 2002
Assigned as Follows:
- St. Joseph Catholic Church (Ponchatoula, LA)
- Ponchatoula Funeral Home (Ponchatoula, LA)
- St. Dominic Parish “in residence” (New Orleans, LA)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Richard Raphael Archer:
In 2018, the Dominican Province of St. Joseph released a list of Friars credibly accused of sexual misconduct. One name that was included was Richard Raphael Archer. Archer became a part of the Province of St. Martin de Porres when it was formed in 1979. The Order did not release any information as to when or where the alleged abuse occurred. He was officially removed from ministry in 2002. Some reports speculate the alleged abuse occurred in the New Orleans Archdiocese, where the Province is based.
According to the website of St. Dominic in New Orleans, Archer was in residence there, even though the parish has a k-7 school. Richard Raphael Archer was in ministry for 65 years, and was celebrated by the archdiocese in 2017.
On March 28th, 2019, the day after the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) publicly complained about Archer’s presence at the parish, the archdiocese asked the Dominicans to move him.
Archer is reportedly now living at Our Lady of Wisdom Healthcare Center in New Orleans.
In April of 2020, the Archdiocese of New Orleans filed for bankruptcy protection. As part of its bankruptcy, the Archdiocese of New Orleans will be reviewing and paying claims for anyone sexually abused by diocesan priests and lay employees. This will likely include claims filed on behalf of anyone whose case may be beyond the statute of limitations.
Ho 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 [email protected].